November 2004
FRIENDS –
Subsequent to my 1993 trip to Japan, I published a strategic action plan entitled – “Toward a California-Japan Partnership” – which set forth a series of recommendations for State of California actions that would lead us to a much more vital and sustaining relationship with our Pacific Rim neighbor. Even though it has yet to be fully implemented, for the following decade it served to guide our relations with Japan.
Returning from my Easter 2004 trip to Brazil, I found myself recognizing similar opportunities and challenges and wanting to propose an analogous California relationship with our largest neighbor to our south – Brazil.
Accompanied by Assemblyman Tim Leslie and members from our public and private sectors, I led the official California State Senate Delegation to Brazil in April 2004. Our visit to Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and Salvador left me (especially being of Portuguese ancestry) with touching and lasting impressions of the vibrant people, the diverse culture, and the expanding economy that constitute altogether, Brazil.
We found Brazil (a nation slightly larger than the entire United States) much like our own California – to be a wondrous land of many contrasts – old and new, urban and undeveloped, rich and poor. Brazil dramatically varies across its vast expanse – with its luscious beaches, tropical rain forests, and fertile flatlands being merely a sampling of its topography. And of course, Brazilians, themselves are – again, much like Californians – a unique blend of European, Latin, African, Asian, and indigenous peoples and cultures.
I was struck in particular by the palpable energy and optimism of the Brazilian people. They are amiable, cheerful, sophisticated, and they are fun. In addition, we thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed their energetic and engaging, eclectic and exciting music. It is possessed by a beat and rhythm that seep into nearly every cell of your body, that without fail moves you. And Brazilians, like their music, are spirited, and full of life and love for their fellow human beings, equally moving.
Nevertheless, despite Brazil’s dynamic composition, despite its having become the economic powerhouse of South America, it faces major challenges for its underprivileged children and adults, environmentalists, urban developers, and educators, again, not unlike California. All this creates enormous and promising opportunities for vision, insight, innovation, development, leadership and collaboration – opportunities to make a difference in this world, many times over.
I hope herein to translate the inspiration of my precious experiences in Brazil, to offer both a strategy and much motivation for a much stronger relationship, even a partnership, between California and Brazil, our respective governments and our people.
I submit this proposal for consideration and action to leaders of both our public and private sectors, especially our Governor, our Legislature and leaders in our California business community – as well as to all their counterparts in Brazil
Both socially and economically, we owe this relationship to each other, and ourselves as well as to our common future well being. We owe this to our colleagues in Brazil who recognize the multilateral benefits of a partnership with California. California and Brazil are each and both rapidly moving into a world without boundaries. We owe it to ourselves to act boldly, now to become partners in leading the way into this new world.
I submit this proposal for your consideration, critique, and involvement – in its refinement, adoption, and implementation – by the State of California and Brazil as well. My hope is that you will find yourself immediately moved into thought and into action – toward realizing the promise of a CALIFORNIA-BRAZIL PARTNERSHIP.
I thank you, and I wish you and all of our fellow Californians well,
JOHN VASCONCELLOS
Dean of the California Legislature
Senator Representing the Heart of the Silicon Valley