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pring 2003
MAINE LEGISLATORS VISIT ARCHANGEL
The legislative component of our ongoing Rule of Law program was again active in
January 2003 when two members of the Maine House of Representatives were hosted
in Archangel by the Regional Duma. Representatives Matt Dunlap (D - Old Town)
and David Trahan (R - Waldoboro) were guided by Committee Co-Vice Chair Ray
Pelletier. Their week-long program was intense and productive, as comparisons
were made in the areas of legislative rules and process, lawmaking, taxation,
constitutional law, lobbying, veto authority, and the budgetary process. A
primary focus of this visit was on the issue of domestic violence and gender
justice: the Duma is taking a leadership role in combating domestic violence and
significant progress is expected. Fortunately, there was enough time in the
schedule for a visit to snowy Malye Kareli and for an afternoon of snowmobiling!
A detailed copy of the official trip report (plus articles from Archangel
newspapers about the visit) can be seen here
(click to follow the link).
SISTER CITY ACTIVITIES
While in Archangel for the Duma visit in January 2003, committee member Ray
Pelletier accomplished a number of sister city goals: he purchased 200 dough
dolls and other crafts for sale later this year by committee craft coordinator
Alice Strait; he delivered $200 cash each to the City Orphanage and to the
Regional Orphanage; he delivered a large quantity of sutures and latex gloves to
Dr. Nikoli Sosnin; he met with the director of Kenozero National Park; and he
delivered the "mail" from the children at Portland's Breakwater School to
Archangel School Number 3 and brought their "mail" back to Breakwater School.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
February 2003 - State Representative Matt Dunlap was the featured speaker at our
Committee's Annual Social Gathering; he spoke and showed video of his January
trip to Archangel. Meanwhile, the Maine D.O.T. and the Archangel Regional
Department of Transportation successfully implemented satellite
video teleconferencing between Augusta and Archangel.
March 2003 - Committee members Dennis Marrotte and Steve Cowperthwaite presented
lectures to school children from all over Maine at the Russian Sampler Day
organized by the Waterville/Kotlas committee.
April 2003 - A delegation of high school students from the Portsmouth, NH area
visited School Number 14 in Severodvinsk (Portsmouth's sister city); the group
focused on environmental and ecology issues (on Earth Day they removed rubbish
from the banks of the Solza River). Committee member Carol-Lynn Rossol presented
her photographs of Russia with accompanying poetry at the University of Maine in
Augusta. An exhibit of Attorney Jack Montgomery's photographs of Russia opened
at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockport (telephone 236-2875).
Finally, Tracy Busch of the Federal Highway Administration in Washington, D.C.
visited Archangel for a "Training the Trainers" highway conference.
May 2003 - A delegation of Maine judges and law professors will visit Archangel
to continue our focus on gender justice and domestic violence issues;
thereafter, delegates from all of the U. S. and Russian states involved in the
Rule of Law program will conference in Petrozavodst, Karelia. Committee members
James and Janie Ghaffari will visit Archangel Regional Children's Orphanage #1
(70 children, ages 4 to 17) with money raised by the "Friends of Russian
Orphans" non-profit corporation (FORO). There they will buy much needed winter
coats and boots, shoes, dress-up clothing, toys, toothbrushes, and school
supplies. They will also rent and furnish a nearby apartment for use as
transitional housing for children who turn 18 and thus have to leave the
orphanage. Tax-deductible contributions can be made payable to "FORO" and sent
care of: James Ghaffari, 3755 Charles Brown Cove, Bartlett, TN 38133.
June 2003 - Three M.D.O.T. engineers hope to conduct a gravel roads/vegetation
management conference in Archangel.
LIBERTY SHIP MEMORIAL UPDATE
We all remember Boris Korotyeav's emotional address at the November 2001
dedication of the Liberty Ship Memorial in South Portland. Unfortunately,
although the beautiful Memorial is now complete, an unavoidable cost overrun has
developed. Tax-deductible donations can be made payable to "Bug Light Park
Enhancement Project Fund", c/o Bob Blackwood, 16 Bluff Road, South Portland ME
04106.
SAM BEDER (1910-2003)
We mourn the passing of Sam Beder, an original member of our committee and a man
whose passion was his work for peace and justice all over the world. Sam was a
member of our first People-to-People Delegation (47 people) to Archangel in June
1989.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE DUE
If there is a Renewal Form enclosed with this newsletter, your membership is due
for renewal. Please take a moment, make your tax-deductible check payable to the
"Archangel Committee" and mail your check and form to:
Archangel Committee
P.O. Box 105
Portland ME 04112
INTERESTING FACTS
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State of Maine |
Greater Portland |
Archangel Oblast |
City of Archangel |
| Area |
35,384 sq. miles |
|
227,124 sq. miles |
|
| Population |
1.29 million |
219,620 |
1.44 million |
390,000 |
| Latitude |
|
43° 35' North |
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64° 36' North |
| Longitude |
|
70° 15' West |
|
40° 43' East |
Note: If the Archangel Oblast was an independent country, it would be larger
than any of the following nations: France, Spain, Germany, Japan, Norway, Italy
or the U.K.
INTERNET NEWS
We thank Great Works Internet for hosting our committee website at
www.arkhangelsk.org
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