Each year the Oregon Consular Corps, the Port of Portland, Nike, the City of Portland and the State of Oregon, along with esteemed associates in international trade and business, host Celebrate Trade as part of Oregon’s emphasis on international trade.
Celebrate Trade is an elegant evening gala, usually held in the Kridel Grand Ballroom of the Portland Art Museum. Celebrate Trade raises funds for the Oregon Consular Corps Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The fund underwrites scholarships for 10 international studies majors at five Oregon universities, supporting Oregon’s next generation of leaders in studying abroad, gaining international experience and expanding their cultural competence as they prepare to enter an increasingly global workplace.
The gala also recognizes the significant contributions that Oregon’s trade-sector companies make to the Northwest’s economic vitality and quality of life. International business awards are presented in several categories, and the Oregon Consular Corps selects an additional organization or individual for special distinction.
Sponsorship funds and ticket sales for Celebrate Trade finance $3,000 scholarships for two students, juniors or seniors, at each of five schools: Lewis & Clark College, Oregon State University, Portland State University, the University of Oregon, and the University of Portland.
With 94 percent of the world’s consumers living outside of the United States, the next generation of the region’s business and community leaders will increasingly need international relations and language skills, cultural awareness and an ability to grasp the opportunities and challenges of a global economy.
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