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| July 2000
ARCTIC CONVOY MONUMENTS DEDICATED On May 20-21, 2000, two monuments were dedicated in Portland to honor the memory of the 2000 Allied sailors who lost their lives on the World War II Arctic convoys to Murmansk and Archangel. A large granite monument was dedicated at the base of the USS Portland (CA-33) mast on the Eastern Promenade and a smaller monument was dedicated at Saint Paul's Anglican Church in Portland. Attending were over 30 British and American convoy veterans. Of special significance, our Archangel Committee arranged for two Russian college students to represent their two cities: Katya Kuznetsova represented Archangel and Anastasia Mamanova represented Murmansk. Several committee members enjoyed the beautiful weather, the emotional ceremonies and the company of many new friends. An ongoing British project led by retired Royal Navy officer Ronald Wren wants to place an additional monument in Archangel. Other monuments have already been dedicated in Murmansk, Halifax, and London. If you are interested in learning more about this project, contact Dennis Marrotte at phone 854-3763 or e-mail: marrottr@aol.com. LEGAL EXCHANGE NEWS CLINIC CONFERENCE - In early May 2000, representatives from four American law schools and four Russian law schools met in Saint Petersburg, Russia. They formed partnerships and cooperative procedures to promote legal clinics in Russia to provide no-cost legal services to the poor. The legal clinic at Pomor University in Archangel opened in early 1999 and has served over 400 clients. The conference was co-sponsored by Pomor University and by the University of Maine School of Law., WRITTEN DECISIONS - Representatives from the court systems of the Archangel Oblast and the Karelia Republic will visit Maine and Vermont in early August 2000. Here they will learn how our state court decisions are written and distributed to provide precedent and guidance in future cases. JUDGES EXCHANGE - Over 40 Russian judges will visit 4 American states July 30 to August 7, 2000. Eight judges from the Archangel Oblast will be hosted in Maine by the Maine Law School, State, and Federal Judiciary. The visit is funded by a grant from the Library of Congress. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EXCHANGE Three officials from the State of Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) were hosted in Archangel June 25 to June 29, 2000 by the Archangel Regional Transportation Administration (Avtodor). This will be an ongoing relationship between the two agencies funded by the US Federal Highway Administration. The Maine delegation, led by Deputy Commissioner Jane Lincoln, worked with their Russian counterparts on a number of issues, including concrete bridges, gravel roads, airport reconstruction, environmental impact and snow/ice control. The Mainers also enjoyed attending the annual Archangel City Day on Sunday June 25th, touring the Malye Karely Museum of Wooden Architecture, visiting the Solovki Islands, experiencing a traditional Russian banya, and holding a press conference with the local media. Future plans include an Archangel official here in Maine August 3 to 12, 2000; Maine officials traveling to Archangel November 9 to 16, 2000 for snow and ice control work; and a Russian intern here during May and June 2001. For more information, contract Cliff Curtis at MDOT at 287-2229 or e-mail clifton.curtis@state.me.us. ARCHANGEL DEPUTY GOVERNOR VISITS MAINE Four prominent leaders from the governments of four Russian regions visited Washington DC and Maine July 9 to 17, 2000 as part of a program funded by the US Government to promote democratic leadership in Russia. One of the delegated was Nikoli Malakov, First Deputy Administrative Head of the Government of the Archangel Oblast for Economic Affairs. He met with various government and business leaders in Maine and during meetings with members of the Archangel Committee, he agreed to investigate the possibility of placing a World War II Convoy Memorial in Archangel. This delegation was sponsored and hosted by the Maine World Affairs Council. INTERNET NEWS The Archangel Committee extends our gratitude to Great Works Internet, 9 Pomerleau Street in Biddeford, for hosting our Website. Please check out our improved Website at www.arkhangelsk.org. Finally, if you have an e-mail address, send us an e-mail at gpmaine@arkhangelsk.org. We want to send out information by e-mail to as many members as possible. HISTORICAL RESEARCH Archangel Committee members Bob and Donna Willett of Cocoa Beach, Florida visited Archangel and Solovki in early July 2000 on the Finnish cruise ship M/V Kiristina Regina where they met with historian Vladislav Goldin (Vice Rector at Pomor University) to do research on the American military intervention in Archangel in 1918-1919 for a book that they are writing. |
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