Who we are

PBSCA is an active organization that hosts and co-hosts many events throughout the year. In recent years, we have hosted our youth exchange to and from Bologna, Italian cyclists, our Amici dinner, our annual Sagra fundraiser, wine tastings and more. As an official Sister City, we also are part of the Portland Rose Festival activities including the Grand Floral Parade which happens 2nd weekend of June every year.

Bologna Boxes are Back: Holiday Edition!

Just in time for the holidays, the much-loved Bologna Boxes have returned! Treat yourself or your loved ones to a curated taste of Italy featuring some of Emilia-Romagna’s finest flavors. This year’s Holiday Edition Bologna Box includes aged white and classic cow cheeses, authentic balsamic vinegar of Modena, decadent white truffle butter, and bianchetto truffle carpaccio.

For only $195, your purchase not only delivers high quality products sourced from the Emilia-Romangna region, but also supports disadvantaged youth in the Pratello Juvenile prison.

Order by November 17th to secure your box and bring home the rich, comforting flavors of Italy this season!

Orders can be made via PayPal at info@lavitabellabox.com.
Portland + Bologna: A delicious partnership with purpose.

Sagra 2025

Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Sagra fundraiser! We would especially like to recognize the team at this year’s wonderful venue, The Lucky Horseshoe Lounge for an amazing event with a beautiful scenery and delicious food.

Executive director of the Portland Bologna Sister City Association, Gabriella Tomei, speaking to supporters at the sagra dinner & fundriaser. October 4, 2025. Photo by Lawson D’Amsbrosio

All of the dinner tickets sold out and we were only about $500 shy of reaching our scholarship fundraising goal. Our BIPOC Scholarship allows a high school freshman or sophomore attend our annual Youth Exchange Program in the summer. Any donation, no matter how big or small, helps a young person from a non-traditional and/or low-income background be able to attend this unique abroad experience with their peers.

charcuterie Spread from the sagra aperitvo social. Photo by Lawson D’ambrosio.

If you would like to help bridge this small gap in our goal, donations can be made via PayPal, Venmo, check or cash. Checks can be made out to the Portland Bologna Sister City Association and mailed to the below address:

Portland Bologna Sister City
Portland State University
PO Box 751-OIRP
Portland, OR 97201

Royal Rosarian Rose Planting in Bolgona!

The Royal Rosarians traveled to Bologna, Italy this month to kick off their 2026 Prime Minister Trip! This special rose planting occured on Friday, October 17th at 10 AM at the Louis Braille Garden Area, Via delle Borre, to commemorate PBSCA’s 20th Anniversary in honor of Maria Rose Martelli Brekke, La Donna di Bologna or ‘the woman of Bologna’. PBSCA has a Cibo e Amici Fund established in her honor and we are truly grateful to be able to commemorate her through this unique rose planting ceremony.

PBSCA @ FESTA 2025

Festa 2025 was one for the books! PBSCA was glad to support and have a presence at this year’s Festa. Especially as this event has made its way back to the historic St. Phillip Neri’s Catholic Church, a church that has long-standing ties to the Italian Community. Overall, enjoyed connecting with potential Youth Exchange applicants and engaging with the local community! If you missed this year’s Festa, stay tuned on their webpage for next year’s Festa happening in September 2026. Hope to see you there!

Memeber of the PBSCA Board at Festa 2025. (from Left to right: PBSCA President, Phil Potestio, Secretary, Lawson D’Ambrosio, Executive Director, Gabriella TOmei, and fellow Board members, Mark Holman and Anthony Sargenti)

2024 YEAR END LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

We have successfully wrapped up our 20th year celebration! We invite you to pause and reflect on the moments that have defined us. Our President, Phil Potestio, has penned a heartfelt End-of-Year Letter, encapsulating the achievements, and the lessons learned throughout this transformative year.

Read here

2025 Sister City Reception

The Portland Bologna Sister City Association enjoyed connecting with Mayor Keith Wilson, the City Council, and fellow Sister Cities at this year's Sister Reception held at the City of Portland's City Hall. The signatory this year was Executive Director Gabriella Tomei, with Vice President Mark Brubaker, Secretary Lawson D'Ambrosio, and Youth Exchange Coordinator Ruth Costantini representing. As always, thank you Cullis "James" Autry and Chido Dhilwayo for organizing.

(Pictured below L-R: Secretary Lawson D’Ambrosio, Youth Exchange Coordinator, Ruth Costantini, Executive Director Gabriella Tomei, and Vice-President Mark Brubaker, Taken at the Sister City Reception at Portland City Hall, June 5, 2025)

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW “CIBO E AMICI” FUND, IN HONOR OF MARIA ROSA MARTELLI BREKKE

Portland’s thriving Italian-American community - and our own PBSCA - owes a debt of gratitude to this inimitable woman, who was born in Bologna and made Portland her home. Affectionately known as la donna di Bologna, her warm smile and talent as a home chef helped so many of us to feel connected to each other and to the world around us through her food and her love of Italian culture.

In her honor and thanks to a generous seed gift, the Maria Rosa Martelli Brekke Cibo e Amici Fund was launched earlier this year. With this fund, PBSCA is creating a series of educational events to help us better understand and celebrate the power of Italy’s food culture, specifically that of the Emilia Romagna region, to bring us closer together. We kicked off in April with our first Virtual Taste of Bologna event featuring Chef Giorgia Lambertini, and we hope you can join us on June 8 for our Amici dinner. Ideas welcome!

We invite you to read our 2006 interview with Maria Rosa and to make a contribution to help this grow faster. (If you are giving online, please also send us an email to let us know that we should direct this!)

OUR YOUTH EXCHANGE, SINCE 2008

The Portland-Bologna Youth Exchange Program is a two-year cycle. We are resuming the program in Summer 2026—first sending Portland students to Italy then hosting students from Bologna in 2027. Applications for 2026-27 are open and we invite you to visit our Youth Exchange page!