Summer 2003

SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS TO ARCHANGEL REGION ORPHANAGES

Representatives of the non-profit organization "Friends of Russian Orphans" (FORO) recently completed two productive missions to several orphanages in the Archangel Region. In April 2003, Lisa and Phil Wurster from Ohio visited the Kotlas Baby Home where they delivered funds to build a gym, beanie babies to each child, and 100 winter coats donated by people in Elida, Ohio. They also delivered supplies and toys to Regional Children's Orphanage Number One and the Special Needs Orphanage in the City of Archangel. In May 2003, Archangel Committee members and FORO volunteers James and Janie Ghaffari from Tennessee visited the Regional Children and Baby Homes in Archangel and delivered the financial aid needed to buy shoes, clothing, school supplies, sports gear, therapy equipment, mattresses, staff gowns and other material. They also assisted the Special Needs Orphanage (50 children, ages 3 to 8) in Archangel and Severodvinsk Baby Home (105 children, ages infant to 4). In all, the Ghaffaris donated more than $5,000.00 worth of supplies and direct assistance on behalf of FORO. A number of members of our Archangel Committee have contributed funds specifically for this important project.. If you are interested in contributing, make your check payable to "FORO" and send it in care of: Archangel Committee, P.O. Box 105, Portland ME 04112. We will forward your donations to FORO.

MAINE LEGAL DELEGATION FOCUSES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN RUSSIA

In May 2003, Maine District Court Judges Joyce Wheeler and Mark Horton and Maine attorney Faye Luppi visited Archangel and conducted an intensive three day training program for 30 District Court judges. The focus of the training was to help the newly-created Archangel District Court system develop effective responses to domestic violence. A broad range of issues relating to domestic violence were covered: for example, Judge Wheeler spoke of the alternatives to children's testimony in the courtroom; Judge Horton spoke on protective orders and on conditions of bail/probation; and Faye Luppi (Director of Maine's Violence Intervention Partnership) discussed assessing the dangerousness of alleged abusers and the use of abuser intervention programs. The delegation was hosted by Vasili Popovsky, the Director of the Regional District Court Administration; indeed, about half of the Region's District Court Judges were able to attend. The response to the training was overwhelming as the Russian enthusiastically participated in the sessions and drafted a list of meaningful goals and recommendations for the future. Maine Justice Caroline Glassman and Law Professor Judy Potter briefly joined our domestic violence delegation in Archangel before moving on to represent Maine at a conference of all of the RAROLC American and Russian partners in Petrozavodst, Karelia. Representing Archangel at this conference were Regional Court Justice Evgeni Martynov, Prosecutor Ludmilla Kovtoninuk, Archangel State Technical University Law Dean Nikoli Skoriukov, Pomor Law Dean Tatiana Zykina, and private attorney Vladimir Morev.

ARCHANGEL LEGAL DELEGATION WILL ARRIVE SOON

Ten judges from the Archangel Oblast will visit Maine August 2 to 10, 2003 as part of the ongoing Rule of Law Program. Deputy Chief Justice Eugeni Martynov will lead nine judges of the newly created Oblast District Court system in an intensive program to continue developing responses to domestic violence in

Russia. Maine District Court Judge Joyce Wheeler and Violence Intervention Partnership Director Fay Luppi are coordinating this visit. FMI: Neale Duffett, 775-1515.

NEWS/NOTES FROM THE ARCHANGEL REGION

Artem Antonov, a first grade student at Archangel's School Number 6, was honored by the police for finding and turning in a lost wallet with 500 rubles inside. * * * Archangel's Dobrolyubova Library recently conducted a 30 day amnesty period for overdue books and more than 1,800 books were returned. Eighty-five Archangel policemen were assigned special duty in Saint Petersburg for the recent 300th Anniversary of that City; many of them assisted in the re-opening of the famous Amber Room. * * * 150 years ago this July, a deadly cholera epidemic swept the Solombula District in the City of Archangel.

PRINCE CHARLES VISITS ARCHANGEL

British Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, visited the Archangel Region in mid July 2003 to help commemorate the 450th anniversary of the establishment of trade relations between the U.K. and Russia. In July 1553, the British ship Edward Bonaventure, Richard Chancellor commanding, reached the mouth of the Northern Dvina River. Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible received Captain Chancellor in Moscow and responded by sending the first Russian Ambassador to England in 1557 to present credentials to Queen Mary. Thereafter, Queen Mary and the Czar established normal diplomatic and trade relations, thus opening Russia to the West. Prince Charles participated in ceremonies in Archangel and on Solovky Island in the White Sea.

INTERNET NEWS

Great Works Internet continues to be an excellent provider for our Committee website; we have had more than 5,200 visitors since we started the site in July 1999. In May 2003, internet users from the United States represented over 78% of the visitors, but other countries were represented as well: Norway (2.7%), Russia (2.3%), Finland (1.7%), Turkey (1.0%) and Romania (1.0%), followed by 35 other nations! Visit us at www.arkhangelsk.org.

June 21, 2003 - The Longest Day of the Year