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WINTER 2008
In December 2007, our Archangel Committee hosted a five person "Education"
delegation from Archangel and from the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. This
visit was funded by a grant from the "Open World Program" based at the U.S.
Library of Congress through Sister Cities International. This was the second
recent Open World delegation with representatives from Solovki and we used the
opportunity to strengthen our relationship with those beautiful islands.
Delegation members were Solovki Vice Mayor Natalie Yakovleva, Solovki Museum
Director of Education Yuri Surikov, Malye Kareli Museum Director Alexander
Shayev, Archangel Business Media Publisher Elena Kumetsova and Archangel
graduate student Ivan Tabanin (the facilitator).
After a two day stay in Washington D.C. (where they were hosted by the Open
World Program for roundtable discussions and visiting national historic sights),
the delegation arrived in Maine on December 7th to begin their busy week,
focusing on historical museum organization and operation as it relates to
community outreach and education. Saturday December 8th brought a day of fun
with another Open World delegation from Severodvinsk that was visiting its
Sister City in Portsmouth NH. This Severodvinsk "Media" delegation included
Severodvinsk television reporters Natalie Shustrova and Irma Shorshyeva,
Severodvinsk newspaper reporter Artem Popov, Archangel newspaper editor Grigori
Dityatev and Tver television reporter Ekaterina Karaseva (the facilitator). This
combined delegation enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of Portland's WGME-TV
television station given by on-air reporter Kate Barker; later that day the
groups toured the local seacoast and visited the Liberty Ship Memorial in South
Portland.
On Sunday, December 9th, our delegation spent the day on Chebeague Island where
they toured a solid waster transfer station, an historical farm and the Island
Community Center. They also gave presentations about Solovki at the Island
Museum and at a special meeting of the Chebeague Town Council. Many issues and
challenges are common to SolovIci, and to Chebeague; it is hoped that
cooperation between these two communities will continue to grow (a prior Open
World delegation from Solovki visited Chebeague in December 2005).
The delegation spent Monday with Portland Mayor Ed Suslovic; activities involved
a tour of City Hall, a delightful visit to an elementary school, and a lengthy
visit to a large industrial solid waste recycling and electricity generation
facility (Eco Maine).
On Tuesday, the group met with Assistant Editorial Writer Gregory Kesich at the
Portland Press Herald, and then went on to visit the Tate House Museum in
Portland. There the delegation had a good roundtable discussion with Executive
Director Andrea Hawkes and several members of her Board of Directors. Director
Hawkes has since been interviewed by the Open World staff in Washington about
the visit and she will be featured on the Open World website.
On Wednesday, our delegation was hosted at Plymouth State College in New
Hampshire by President Sara Jayne Steen and Professor Mary Ann McGarry; the day
of activities and discussions focused on ecology, tourism, business education
and international programs. Because Yuri Surikov is also a professor at Pomor
State University in Archangel, discussions began about a continuing PSU/ PSU
relationship.
On Thursday, most of our delegates spent the day at the Capitol Complex in
Augusta. There they were joined by many of our friends from the Waterville/
Kotlas sister city committee and greetings and gifts were exchanged.
Professionally, the delegates had a roundtable discussion with Maine Secretary
of State Matthew Dunlap (who visited Archangel and Solovki in June, 2006. The
delegates spent the afternoon at the large Maine State Museum in Augusta, where
they met extensively with Executive Director Joseph Phillips.
On Friday, Elena Kuznetsova had a separate program: -in the morning she visited
the investor and public relations department at Hannafords, and in the afternoon
she visited United Publishing and the internal communications department at the
Verrill Dana law firm. The other delegates toured Cliff, Great Diamond and Peaks
Island; there they observed environmental preservation and commercial
development projects, and met informally with the local island governing council
on Peaks to discuss issues common to both sides.
Ambassador John O'Keefe, the Executive Director of the Open
World Leadership Center in Washington DC, recently sent us a letter of thanks
for prior hostings and asking us to join them in the exciting future of the Open
World Program. Ambassador O'Keefe's letter is included with this newsletter [Click
here to read letter].
Also, please check out: www.openworld.gov
A mixed Sister City and Rule of Law Delegation will travel to Archangel in April
2008 and will participate in the 3rd Annual "America Week" in Archangel;
official events begin in Archangel on Monday April 21st and continue through
Saturday, April 26th. The celebration is jointly sponsored by the City of
Archangel, the Archangel Regional Academic Library and the United States
Consulate General in Saint Petersburg. Archangel has told us that "America Week"
will be "devoted to American history, culture, and art and also to the past and
present of our American twin-city Greater Portland". Our outbound delegation has
been timed to coincide with "America Week" and will be led by Portland Mayor Ed
Suslovic and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Deasy. We hope that Deputy U.S.
Marshal Tom Folan will also be on the delegation. Judgy Deasy will work the
Archangel Arbitrazh Court on property and tax matters, while Tom Folan will work
both the Arbitrazh Court and the Oblast Court on "Courthouse Security and Judge
Protection". If you are interested in going, the cost of the trip will be about
$3,000.00 per person (including modest hotel). Our Committee cannot organize
your trip but we can provide some planning and coordinating advice. If you are
going, you may contact Ray Pelletier at 774-4000.
MAY 2008 LEGAL DELEGATION TO ARCHANGEL
Plans are being finalized for an outbound legal delegation to Archangel in late
May 2008. The delegation will be led by Maine District Court Judge Joseph Field
and will focus on innovative American and Russian judicial/ prosecutorial
initiatives in the juvenile criminal justice system.
We mourn the recent passing of Frederick Richards, the
longtime president of the Capital Area Camera Club. Over the years, Mr. Richards
and his wife Diana have worked with Portland Camera Club president Dennis
Marrotte and the Archangel Committee to host Archangel Spolokhi Photo Club
members in their home and studio: Nikola; Chesnokov in 1991 and Vladimir
Berbenets in 1996; since that time, the relationships between these clubs and
their members have only strengthened. In fact, a large photography exhibition
from Maine has been displayed at a number of venues in the Archangel Region over
the past year. Memorial contributions can be made to CACC Photography
Scholarship, c/o Ralph Staples, 393 River Road, Chelsea ME 04330.
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March 24, 2008 - Russian Sampler Day at Colby
College (FMI: Carl Daiker at 873-6562)
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April 17 to 18, 2008 - "America Week"
Delegation to Archangel
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May 16 to 26, 2008 - Rule of Law Delegation to
Archangel
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September 13 to 20, 2008 - Maine will host Open
World legal delegation
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