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Fall 2011
- GIANTS OF SCIENCE MEET AT PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL
Click here to
read the Proclamation by Portland Mayor Nicholas Marvodones on this special
occasion!
Twelve students from Archangel School Number 6 visited Portland
High School from November 4 to 15, 2011. Leading them was School
Number 6 Principal Vladimir Utkin (who visited Maine on an
Open World Delegation in December 2009) and teacher Inga
Simonova (who visited Maine during the 1990's). The visit
strengthened the relationship between Portland High and School
Number 6 as the students work together on
environmental/ecological projects. Activities included a visit
to Colby College that was graciously organized by members of the
Waterville-Kotlas Committee and a meeting with students from
Severodvinsk School Number 14 who were visiting their Sister
City in New Hampshire during the same time period. The Portland
students are considering a reciprocal trip to School Number 6 in
April 2012. The highlight of the visit was the Farewell
Thanksgiving Banquet at Portland High School on Sunday, November
13, 2011. The American and Russian students put on a
theatrical/musical performance entitled "Giants of Science"
that honored two great 18th century men: Mikhail Lomonosov
and Benjamin Franklin. The production was modeled after a
similar presentation at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in
Washington DC on October 12, 2011 (the 300th Anniversary of
Lomonsov's birth was November 19, 2011). We are grateful to the
American-Russian Cultural Cooperation Foundation and its
Chairman James W. Symington for providing us with guidance and
materials from the Embassy. FMI:
www.a-rccf.org
As part of the presentation, Benjamin Franklin (played by
Portland High School students Charlotte Spritz and Kate Suslovic)
had a friendly chat with Mikhail Lomonosov (played by
Archangel student Richard Marushkey):
Lomonsov: Did you know that I
walked from Arkhangelsk to Moscow so that I could study science
there?
Franklin: Did you enter Moscow State University?
Lomonsov: No, actually I established it!
Franklin: Wow, that's wonderful, I did not know that!
Lomonsov: And what did you do in your youth?
Franklin: My family had little money and I had to work a lot
to pay for school.
Lomonsov: That's a pitty. I heard that some years later you
invented a new form of typography.
Franklin: Oh yes, that was my first business. By the way, I
established the first public library in America.
Lomonsov: But I think you must have accomplished something
else in order to get your face on all $100 bills!
Franklin: Oh yes, I visited Portland Maine while I was the
Colonial Postmaster and later I signed the
Declaration of Independence.
Lomonsov: That's great. What about foreign policy experience?
Franklin: Well, I have negotiated the Treaty of Alliance with
France and the Treaty of Peace with Britain.
Lomonsov: You are an amazing politician! For me, I am
interested in various areas of science, I have set the
foundation for
Russia literary language, and I have written many different
kinds of works in literature!
Franklin: I see! See you!
- COMMITTEE WILL HOST DECEMBER DELEGATION
Our Archangel Committee has received a grant to host a five person
"Accountable Governance" delegation from the Archangel Oblast from Friday,
December 9 to Saturday, December 17, 2010. The grantor is the Open World
Program based at the U.S. Library of Congress; we are using this grant to
strengthen our relationships with the Regional and City Governments of
Archangel. Delegation members include:
Natalia Belozerova
- Director, Archangel City Law Department
Valentina Bogdanova -
Deputy Director, Archangel City Finance Department
Natalia Baksheyeva
-
Deputy Director, Archangel City Cultural Affairs and Youth Development
Ekaterina Bakanova
- Deputy Director, Archangel City Economic Development
Svetlana Zenovskaya
- Director, Archangel Oblast Department of Youth Development, Sports and
Tourism
Victoria Podolskaya
- Facilitator from Archangel
The Delegation will spend two days in Washington, D.C. prior to arriving in
Maine; in Washington, they will be hosted at the U.S. Library of Congress
where they will be involved in roundtable discussions about American and
Russian culture and they will visit national historical sites in the city.
After their stay in Washington, D.C., the delegation will arrive at the
Portland Jetport on Friday, December 9th and will have a busy week
thereafter. Professionally, the group will focus on municipal governments
and schools, the state government, public/private collaboratives, non-profit
activities, business development and tourism promotion.
If you are interested in meeting professionally or socially with our
friends, you have several opportunities to do so:
Friday, December 9th at 1:50 p.m. at the Portland Jetport to welcome
arriving delegates on United Flight 5915 from Washington Dulles.
Friday, December 9th at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Committee members Neale and
Deborah Duffett in Portland for a Gala Welcome Pizza Party. FMI: Neale at
775-1515.
Saturday, December 10th at 6:30 p.m. for dinner at the home of Committee
members Ed and Jennifer Suslovic in Portland. FMI: Ed at 772-5615.
Sunday, December 11th at 6:30 p.m. for dinner at the home of Committee
members Ray and Raisa Pelletier in Portland. FMI: Ray at 253-4512
Thursday, December 15th for a day in Augusta, including discussions and
touring of the Capitol Complex and State Museum.
Friday, December 16th at 6:30 p.m. for a Festive Farwell Potluck Dinner at
the home of Committee members Ann and Ted Noyes on Route 88 in Yarmouth FMI:
Ann at 846-3157
Saturday, December 17th at 2:15 p.m. at the Portland Jetport to see the
delegation off on United Flight 5755 to Washington, Dulles.
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