In addition to its outreach programs on educational and cultural fronts, Partners in Friendship is active in promoting business-related contacts among its partner cities.
PIF has established close working relationships with high-level Italian officials such as Dr. Gianfranco Colognato (Consul General for the southeastern region of the United States) and Dr. Sergio Fedelini (Honorary Consul for South Carolina), who visited Aiken in 2005 to meet with community leaders and educate themselves about Aiken’s commerce. (From Aiken Dr. Colognato proceeded to Columbia, where he met with Governor Sanford and top representatives of Italian industries in South Carolina at the State House.)
PIF has also sponsored expositions of Orvietan products in Aiken. For example, Orogami jewelers, purveyors of fine Italian gold, has exhibited its wares twice under PIF auspices, once in Aiken and once in Augusta.
PIF is always seeking new ways to provide exposure to the work of highly-skilled traditional craftsmen such as these.
