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Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC)

U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program
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January 10th, 13:44

This program is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
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MPP is Coming to a Close
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April 19th, 2011
Dear Friends, Partners, and Colleagues,

The U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program is coming to a close. On behalf of the implementing team of the program at the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC), we would like to express what a distinct pleasure it has been to work with all of you to advance the development of local governance in the Russian Far East. We are very proud of the work that we did with you under this program, particularly the U.S.- Russia linkages that were formed. We believe these professional connections will continue to serve both regions in the years to come.

Since the program started in October 2007, FRAEC and its partners, the Institute for Urban Economics and the Far East Center for Social Innovation have worked with 35 municipalities across the Far East region, nine U.S.- Russian Far East municipal partnerships have formed, 32 representatives of Russian municipal and regional governments, business and nongovernmental sectors visited the West Coast of the United States to share their experience and to observe U.S. models of municipal governance. 13 Americans visited the Russian Far East, most for the first time. The friendships and professional connections formed between Americans and Russians have broadened the outlook of both U.S. and Russian participants and have heightened awareness of the U.S.- Russia relationship in the Pacific Rim.

20 Far East municipalities received expert consultations to refine local governance and 25 programs were implemented in our pilot municipalities in Russia. Under the program four municipalities developed comprehensive strategic plans for socio-economic development.

On behalf of the Seattle and Sakhalin offices of the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC), we would like to wholeheartedly thank all those who contributed to the success of the program. Your ranks include leaders and staff of municipalities and regional/state governments in the Russian Far East and on the U.S. West Coast, heads of nongovernmental organizations seeking to promote excellence in municipal governance, heads of municipal associations in Russia and the United States, and private corporations. Of course, we would be remiss if we forgot to mention the incredible contribution our Russian partners representing the Institute for Urban Economics and the Far East Center for Social Innovation made to the program. We worked as a team across many time zones to achieve our common objectives. Our ongoing aim is that U.S. and Russian municipalities can continue to work together either through their sister city relationships or through the professional contacts that have formed under the program. Now, it is easier than ever for individuals from different countries to stay connected via the Internet. We hope that you will use these resources to continue your international collaboration and friendship.

With continued success,
Susan King and Marina Kirsanova
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MPP Partners with Microsoft Russia to Train Municipal Employees on E-Government
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April 5th, 2011
As Russia works to modernize its economy and reform government, electronic government services are at the nexus of these two trends.  By requiring that all government services be available in electronic form by 2015, Russia will stimulate the emerging IT sector that will be involved in the design, installation, and maintenance of these systems.  At the same time, e-government is shown to mitigate corruption by reducing transactions between citizens and government officials and providing services to the community in a fair and transparent manner.  Both of these outcomes are congruent with Presidential initiatives to make government at all levels in Russia more effective.

In support of these efforts, the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program (MPP program) has conducted a number of activities to promote e-government development in the Russian Far East. On February 24-25, 2011 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and on March 21-23, 2011 in Moscow, the MPP Program in partnership with Microsoft Russia conducted trainings on e-government for municipal representatives from the Russian Far East (RFE) to demonstrate technical solutions and regulatory approaches to electronic municipal service delivery. More than 70 participants have been trained.

The training in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk addressed issues of improving public administration skills using Microsoft Office products, licensing in the municipal sector, IT security for the municipal sector, e-service delivery for regional and municipal governments, among others. The training in Moscow highlighted examples of e-government use in Russia’s regions, particularly Novosibirsk, and demonstrations of technical solutions for effective governance at the Microsoft Technology Center in Moscow. RFE Municipal representatives were also consulted by Microsoft specialists and partners on specific segments of e-government that address the needs of their municipalities. 

“The significance of such a training is obvious” – says Marina Kirsanova, Director of the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program. "The subject of e-government is one of the most important nowadays to which all municipalities and administrations should pay close attention. The training gave theoretical knowledge and practical skills for working with Microsoft programs that will greatly help municipal specialists to provide services to citizens more effectively”.

To view more photos of the E-government trainings in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Moscow, please click here.

Marina Kirsanova, Director of the U.S.-RFE Municipal Partnership Program welcomes the participants in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk  E-government training in Moscow  
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Artyom to Anchorage Exchange Promotes Youth Involvement
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April 2nd, 2011
Recognizing the important role that young people play in the community, the Artyom Urban District Administration in Primorsky Krai places great emphasis on youth involvement. In support of Artyom’s efforts, from March 19-26, 2011, a municipal exchange was organized under the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program to bring representatives of the Artyom Urban District Administration, including Mayor Novikov of Artyom; Natalia Makienko, Head of the Youth Department and Yulia Minkina, Senior Specialist of the Youth Department to Anchorage, Alaska to learn about youth volunteerism and youth participation. The Artyom to Anchorage exchange was organized with support from Gretchen Bersch, former Commissioner of the Anchorage Sister City Commission and long time supporter of Alaska-Russian Far East connections, and Olga Veselyaeva, Director of the Magadan Center for Business Development and Civic Initiatives and expert in the area of youth policy and public sector involvement.

While in Anchorage, the delegation visited youth organizations, including the Alaska Teen Media Institute, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, and Camp Fire among others to share ideas and experiences on practical implementation of youth programs and learn about cooperation between government agencies and youth organizations. The delegates were impressed with their experiences and the variety of activities in Alaska, especially with volunteerism. The visit to the Anchorage School District Safe and Drug Free Schools Program was noted as especially useful as it gave ideas about how to address this complex issue through positive reinforcement, as opposed to negative. The delegates also visited the Anchorage Youth Court to attend a mock trial and discuss youth participation. They were impressed by the maturity of the youth court members and their potential for helping the community. They also appreciated and got good ideas from the American Lung Association’s visual displays and healthy lifestyle information. It was a productive visit and we hope the delegates returned to Russia with a lot of new ideas! To view more photos from the Artyom to Anchorage exchange, click here.

Mayor Novikov of Artyom (on the left) and Mayor Sullivan of Anchorage exchange gifts Artyom delegates visit Turnagain Elementary School to discuss the Russian Language Immersion Program
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MPP Supports the Institutional Advancement of Municipal Associations in the Russian Far East
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April 1st, 2011
Municipal associations can play an important role in the development of local governance.  While nascent in their development in the Russian Far East, these emerging associations are performing important information dissemination activities both through electronic media and regular meetings of mayors and municipal officials.  These opportunities to share and exchange experience help keep local governments informed of new technologies used to address pressing social and economic development challenges facing municipalities.

Recognizing the potential of associations to support local governance reform, the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program has conducted a number of activities in the Russian Far East aimed at strengthening their ability to serve as a platform through which member municipalities can share best practices in municipal governance and inter-municipal cooperation.

On March 5-12, 2011, the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program organized an exchange to bring municipal association representatives from the Russian Far East to examine the work of similar organizations in Washington State and learn about local examples of inter-municipal cooperation. The participants included representatives from the Council of Municipalities of Magadan Oblast, the Association “Council of Municipalities of Khabarovsk Krai”, the Association “Council of Municipalities of Amurskaya Oblast”, the Association of Municipalities of Irkutskaya Oblast, and the Association of Siberian and Far Eastern Cities.

While in Washington State, the participants shared experience on local governance issues and inter-municipal cooperation through site-visits and professional meetings. They visited the Association of Washington Cities to learn about services the Association provides to member municipalities. They visited Puget Sound Regional Council to learn how the Council works with local governments, businesses and citizens to build a common vision for the region’s future. The participants also visited the City of Mountlake Terrace, eCityGovAlliance, and the City of Kirkland to learn how municipalities are pooling resources and cooperating with neighboring cities to reduce costs and provide effective services to their citizens. They also met with Microsoft Corporation to learn how to increase efficiencies through the use of e-government technologies. The delegation reported that the meetings were important and beneficial. To view more photos of municipal association representatives from the Russian Far East visiting Washington State, please click here.

Participants meet with Washington's Secretary of State Sam Reed (on left) Participants visit Puget Sound Regional Council
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MPP Helps Develop Greater Citizen Participation in Yakutia
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March 31st, 2011
Citizen participation is an essential component of good governance. To assist municipalities in Sakha (Yakutia) Republic with developing greater citizen participation, on February 24-25, 2011, the US-RFE Municipal Partnership Program conducted a training “Citizen Participation in Addressing Issues of Local Importance” for members of the Council of Municipalities of Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. The training was conducted by Elena Veprikova, leading expert of the Far East Center for Social Innovation (Khabarovsk) with organizational support from the Council of Municipalities of Sakha (Yakutia) Republic in Maya settlement of Megino-Kangalassky Disctrict, Yakutia. The two-day training was attended by thirty four participants representing 25 municipalities including heads of municipalities, deputy heads on social development, municipal employees, and public organization representatives.

The training addressed the legal framework for citizen participation, and methods and tools for citizen involvement in local governance, among others. The participants shared experiences, discussed examples of citizen participation in their municipalities identifying challenges their municipalities face, and practiced examples of newly acquired techniques on how to engage residents in local governance. The participants appreciated the combination of theoretical and practical know-how to develop greater citizen participation and expressed hope for future cooperation.

Training in Sakha (Yakutia) Republic on Citizen Participation
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Training on E-Government for Municipal Employees
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February 7th, 2011
Given the importance the Government of Russia places on e-government and the fact that the United States and Russia identified e-governance as one of the focus areas for joint collaboration of the U.S.-Russia Innovation Dialogue, the U.S.-Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program (MPP) has conducted a number of activities to promote e-government in the Russian Far East.

This region, which enjoys certain successes in the area of e-government, also faces serious challenges.  Internet service in the Russian Far East is arguably the most expensive in Russia.  Some communities have invested in public internet access centers in local libraries as a way to provide affordable access to the Internet.  Since many residents access the internet through mobile phones, mobile e-government solutions may be another avenue worth exploring.  In addition, lack of experience with e-government services has some local and regional officials scratching their heads over where to begin.

In support of this effort, on February 24-25, 2011, the MPP program in partnership with Microsoft Russia in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and the Sakhalin Regional Universal Research Library will organize a training for regional and municipal employees to demonstrate technical solutions and regulatory approaches to electronic municipal service delivery. The training will address issues of improving public administration skills using MS Office products, licensing in the municipal sector, IT security for the municipal sector, e-service delivery for regional and municipal governments, among others.

Registration is open until February 15. For more information, please contact Program Coordinator Svetlana Fatykhova in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk at sveta@fraec.org or (4242)727-124/125.
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Sakhalin Municipalities are Trained in Service Delivery
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February 4th, 2011
Good governance requires effective municipal service delivery. To advance the delivery of municipal services on Sakhalin and explain new requirements of Russian administrative reforms, on February 1-2, 2011, the Far East Center for Social Innovation conducted a seminar “Administrative Service Delivery and Functions of Local Government” under the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program. The two-day seminar took place in the city of Nevelsk, Sakhalin Oblast and gathered over 35 municipal employees from Nevelsk, Aniva, Kholmsk, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The training focused on increasing effective municipal and state service delivery as mandated by administrative reforms of local self-governance; methods and types of municipal service delivery, including electronic municipal services; and municipal service delivery performance and quality, among others.

Training Participants in Nevelsk
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Exchange to Promote Youth Policy Development in Artyom
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January 31st, 2011
Realizing the importance of involving youth in the community, Artyom Urban District in Primorsky Krai has conducted a number of activities over the past several years to promote active youth participation and volunteerism. This includes a Day of Youth Governance in Artyom for young people to assume the positions of mayor, city council deputies and department heads of municipal government. Young people have been trained in public speaking, goal-setting, and project development to be prepared for discussions, roundtables, and project implementation. Due to the success of this municipal initiative, it has been an annual event in Artyom since 2006.

As a continuation of Artyom’s efforts to engage youth, from March 19-27, 2011, the U.S.-Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program will organize an exchange to bring three representatives of the Artyom Urban District Administration, including Mayor Novikov of Artyom; Natalia Makienko, Head of Youth Department and Yulia Minkina, Senior Specialist of the Youth Department to Anchorage, Alaska to study effective approaches to youth policy. While in Anchorage, the Artyom delegates plan to visit local youth organizations to share ideas and experiences on practical implementation of youth volunteerism and civic participation models, learn about cooperation between government agencies and youth organizations, and establish professional ties with youth organizations in Anchorage. The Artyom to Anchorage exchange will be organized by FRAEC with support from Gretchen Bersch, former Commissioner of the Anchorage Sister City Commission and long time supporter of Alaska-Russian Far East connections, and Olga Veselyaeva, Director of the Magadan Center for Business Development and Civic Initiatives and expert in the area of youth policy and public sector involvement.

  
 The Artyom Youth Administration presents their plans for the Youth Day Festival in the mayor’s office Mayor of Artyom Vladimir Novikov (far right) listens to the Artyom Youth Administration present their plans for the city’s youth festival, 2007.
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Leaders of Russian Far East Municipalities Study Municipal Service Delivery in Rostov Region
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December 10th, 2010
From December 1-11, 2010, representatives of seven Russian Far East (RFE) municipalities participated in an exchange visit to the Rostov Region in southern Russia. The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate positive examples of municipal service delivery that could be replicated or adapted in RFE municipalities.  Participants represented: Vyazemsky Municipal District (Khabarovsk Krai); Bolshoy Kamen, Slavyanka Urban Settlement, Artyom (Primorsky Krai); Nevelsk Urban District (Sakhalin Region); Belogorsk Municipal District (Amur Region); and Yelizovsky Municipal District (Kamchatka Krai). 

Delegates started their exchange in the Rostov Region with Aksaisky Raion and then traveled on to Azov, Taganrog, Rostov-on-Don, and Shakhty. During these visits they met with local Mayors, department heads and other municipal specialists.  They visited a variety of municipal institutions, including libraries, schools, hospitals, cultural centers, and museums. The delegates saw a number of key facilities in the Region, including multipurpose municipal service centers and Frito-Lay and Coca-Cola manufacturing facilities.

Participants examined a number of issues pertinent to municipal governance, including land use policy, performance management, and inter-agency budget coordination between subjects (regions) of the Russian Federation. How to grow municipal budgets, public budgeting, improvement of service delivery, and the development of a legal framework for fee-based services at municipal educational institutions were also discussed. Round tables were held in Rostov-on-Don where RFE municipal officials were able to discuss with their colleagues standards for municipal service delivery, service provision to people in remote areas, monitoring the quality of municipal services, use of the Internet in the provision of municipal services and others.  
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Exchange to Promote Inter-Municipal Cooperation in the Russian Far East
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December 8th, 2010
Strengthening inter-municipal cooperation assists municipalities to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of services. As municipal responsibilities become increasing complex and demanding due to federal reform of local self-governance, most notably Federal Law No. 131, municipalities continuously refine how they provide services to meet the needs of their constituencies. One mechanism to address this challenge is strengthening the capacity of municipal associations to provide effective coordination of the work of their members through information sharing, trainings and networking opportunities. 

In support of this effort, from March 5-12, 2011, the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program will organize an exchange to bring municipal association representatives from the Russian Far East to examine the work of similar organizations in Washington State. Through a competitive selection process, 10 participants were identified to participate in the exchange, including representatives from the Council of Municipalities of Magadan Oblast, the Association “Council of Municipalities of Khabarovsk Krai”, the Association “Council of Municipalities of Amurskaya Oblast”, the Association of Municipalities of Irkutskaya Oblast, and the Association of Siberian and Far Eastern Cities.

While in Washington State, the participants will acquire new knowledge and share experience on local governance issues, inter-municipal cooperation, and municipal service delivery through site-visits and professional meetings; and develop professional ties between municipal associations of the Russian Far East and Washington State. FRAEC is working closely with the Association of Washington Cities to organize the visit.
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Nakhodka & Bellingham Students Connect via Videoconference
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November 23rd, 2010
On November 16, business students from Western Washington University (WWU) in Bellingham and Nakhodka's Institute for Technology & Business (ITIB) held a videoconference via Skype. The purpose of the videoconference was for Russian and American students to share their business plan ideas and answer questions about their proposed business projects. John Sands, Instructor at the College of Business & Economics at WWU, and Raisa Govorukha, Director of ITIB, facilitated the videoconference with the help of an interpreter. Students on each side presented their projects. On the Russian side, projects focused on establishing a medical equipment service company in Nakhodka that would serve local hospitals and polyclinics. Currently the nearest comparable service company is located in Vladivostok. ITIB students surveyed the market and found sufficient demand for such a local enterprise in Nakhodka. The other Russian project was focused on establishing a public-private after school cinematography school for young people. Not only would the school provide young people with a safe and productive way to spend their time, it would boost youths' interest in film and culture. The American students asked their Russian counterparts how their projects would be funded and what legal form their businesses would take.  John Sands commented that the latter project in an American context is called 'social entrepreneurship'.

WWU students also presented two projects. The first was for a high end women's shoe line manufactured from recycled materials. Sales would focus on large urban centers such as Seattle and Los Angeles. An interesting discussion ensued after the presentation when the Russian side asked why women would pay for expensive shoes made from...garbage. The WWU students explained the popularity in the US of green marketing and consumer interest in purchasing sustainable products. The second US project focused on establishing an adventure tourism company in the Pacific Northwest that targets Swedish consumers. Fanny, one of the presenters, is an exchange student from Sweden and is familiar with tourism trends there. She stated that adventure tourism is very popular in Sweden but that people there are not aware of opportunities in Washington State. To this, the Russian side proposed to launch a similar project in the Russian Far East to attract tourists to their part of the world.

Overall the spirit of the videoconference was positive and generated good will on both sides. The student presentations were professionally presented.  Raisa Govorukha asked if similar such video conferences could be conducted between high school students in Nakhodka and Bellingham; something akin to 21st century pen-pals. The US side expressed interest in this idea and plans to make contact with the public school system to measure their interest.  Insofar as Nakhodka and Bellingham are sister cities, these types of institutional and community ties are helpful in deepening the cooperative relationship between municipalities.

Skype videoconferencing is a powerful, affordable platform for connecting people. With only two parties on the videoconference, as in this case with Bellingham and Nakhodka, the connection is free. Users need only to have a stable internet connection and a webcam. The Municipal Partnership Program intends to continue to use Skype technology to foster open communication between US West Coast and Russian Far East partnerships. It is also worth mentioning that the Nakhodka-Bellingham project officially completed its activity in August 2010. More information about their project under the Municipal Partnership Program can be found here.  The videoconference on November 16 was done without USAID funding or direct support from the Municipal Partnership Program. It is only one of many examples of the ongoing interest and connections that exist between our two regions and the natural synergy between the US West Coast and the Russian Far East.

WWU students, faculty and guests watch Nakhodka's business plan presentations.PowerPoint presentation in English by Nakhodka students.
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Seniors in Nakhodka and Anchorage Connect via Teleconference
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November 1st, 2010
In an effort to increase computer literacy among senior citizens in Nakhodka, Primorsky Krai, FRAEC’s local partner, the Institute for Business and Technology (ITIB) conducted a series of trainings and other activities to expose the area's older generation to modern technology. The response by Nakhodka's pensioners has been overwhelming. In particular, ITIB offered computer and Internet literacy classes for senior citizens at the Youth Entrepreneurship Consulting Center, recently established under FRAEC’s U.S.-Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program. On October 27, 2010, an Internet teleconference was organized to connect senior citizens in Nakhodka with their counterparts in Anchorage. This initiative was led by FRAEC partners Raisa Govorukha, Rector of ITIB, and Gretchen Bersch, former Commissioner of the Anchorage Sister City Commission and long time supporter of Alaska-Russian Far East connections. Seniors in Nakhodka and Anchorage shared information about their everyday life and discussed issues of concern that affect elderly people in different countries. Organizers plan to conduct regular online meetings and add elements of training and master classes to their interactive discussions.

  Participants of the Internet Teleconference in Nakhodka
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Nakhodka's Youth Entrepreneurship Consulting Center to be Replicated in Primorsky Krai
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October 1st, 2010

In support of the City of Nakhodka’s municipal program “Development of Small and Medium Entrepreneurship in Nakhodka for 2009-2011”, The Institute of Technology and Business (ITIB), with support from Nakhodka’s Municipal Administration and Bellingham’s Western Washington University (WWU), has recently completed its project under the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program to improve the climate for small business development in Nakhodka. As was previously reported here, ITIB and WWU worked jointly to establish a Consulting Center in Nakhodka, Primorsky Krai to provide a wide range of training and informational support to existing and prospective young entrepreneurs. The project's emphasis on developing young entrepreneurs has attracted the attention of Nakhodka's Mayor who has dedicated municipal resources to funding top business plans of young people.

As a result of the partners’ successful efforts, the City of Ussuriisk, Primorsky Krai is interested in replicating the Consulting Center model in Ussuriisk. On September 30, 2010, representatives of the Ussuriisk Municipal Administration visited Nakhodka’s Institute of Technology and Business to learn from Nakhodka’s experience creating and operating such a Center. The meeting was attended by S.A. Borisenko, Dean of the Business Department of ITIB; V.V. Zhokhova, Director of the Consulting Center of ITIB; representatives of the Nakhodka Municipal Administration including G.S. Koreikina, Head of the Department of Consumer Markets and Entrepreneurship; V.M. Gritsyuk, Head of the Department of Entrepreneurship for Food and Fishing Industry; and L.A. Zagorodnyuk, Head of the Department of Economics, Planning, and Pricing.

A meeting of Mayors of Primorsky Krai municipalities has been scheduled for October in Nakhodka to discuss the creation of similar Consulting Centers in other municipalities of the region.

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Partnership Conference Supports Local Government Development in the Russian Far East
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September 29th, 2010

On September 15-17, 2010, the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program conducted a Partnership Conference in Vladivostok to mark the end of year three of the Program in support of local governance development in the Russian Far East (RFE) to make it more responsive to the needs and priorities of citizens. The goals of the conference were to demonstrate the results of the Russian-American partnership projects addressing a broad range of social and economic development issues; disseminate best governance practices developed under the program; and strengthen partnership relations between municipalities, organizations, and institutions supported under the program.

The conference was attended by 65 representatives from 20 RFE municipalities such as Bolshoy Kamen, Birobidzhan, Sovetskaya Gavan, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Nevelsk, Magadan among others; RFE regional authorities; local NGOs; educational institutions; municipal associations; U.S. partner municipalities of Bellingham, WA, University Place, WA and Anchorage, AK; as well as by representatives from the Foundation for Russian American Economic Cooperation, Institute for Urban Economics, Far East Center for Social Innovation, USAID Moscow, and US Consulate in Vladivostok. 

The three-day conference included presentations of Russian-American partnership projects aimed at social and economic development of the Russian Far East, including promoting young citizen participation and volunteerism in Magadan (Magadan-Anchorage); engaging citizens in strategic social-economic development planning in Slavyanka Urban Settlement (Slavyanka-University Place); improving the climate for small business development in Nakhodka (Nakhodka-Bellingham); promoting tourism development in Nevelsk District (Nevelsk-Anchorage), among others.

The conference also included round tables focusing on high priority issues for municipalities, including public participation in local government, economic development, municipal service delivery, and housing and utilities sector reform. The highlights of the conference included site-visits to the municipalities of Artyom and Ussuriisk in Primorsky Krai to observe practical implementation of the program. In particular, in Artyom the strategies of community engagement in local government were examined. While in Ussuriisk, the participants visited the Municipal Service Center, the only Center of its kind in the Russian Far East, to examine how the municipality provides services to local residents electronically.

At the close of the conference, the municipalities and partners pledged to continue working in support of local government development in the Russian Far East and to disseminate effective strategies for socio-economic development.

Marina Kirsanova, Director of the U.S.- Russian Far East Municipal Partnership Program (on the right) welcomes conference participants.
Interpreter Evgenia Butenina (on the left)		Conference participants. Front row (from left to right): Olga Veselyaeva, Director of the Magadan Center for Business Development and Civic Initiatives & Gretchen Bersch, Commissioner of the Anchorage Sister Cities Commission.

 

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Nevelsk Promotes Ecotourism Development
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September 7th, 2010
From August 22-31, our partners from Anchorage, Alaska – Kevin Harun, Project Consultant and Bob Dittrick, Birdwatching Tourism Specialist traveled to the city of Nevelsk, Sakhalin to assess the potential for birding tourism and provide first hand consultation on how to develop ecotourism. Nevelsk District is known for its unique natural environment, recreational opportunities, and unique bird population and wildlife. Therefore, ecotourism development was identified as one of the priority issues by the Nevelsk Municipal District Administration for economic development in the area.

Their visit was organized under the U.S.- RFE Municipal Partnership Program (MPP) as a part of the Nevelsk-Anchorage partnership project aimed at promoting tourism development in Nevelsk District. While in Nevelsk, the Anchorage experts conducted trainings on bird watching, ecology, the role of ecotourism, and tourism marketing strategies for local entrepreneurs. They also met with local ornithologists and scientists to discuss the market potential for birding tourism in Nevelsk District. They visited local tourism establishments in Cape Kuznetsova (Crillon Peninsula) and Moneron Island to observe tourism and recreation opportunities. They met with Nikolay Sinyavskiy, Director of Administrative Affairs for the Sakhalin Region Administration who thanked Nevelsk and the Anchorage partners and acknowledged the MPP Program for its relevance to municipalities and expressed his support.

The Nevelsk partners indicated that participation in this project helped the municipality revise its tourism development strategy in Nevelsk District. The municipality is planning to establish a Tourist Information Center similar to the one they saw in Anchorage. While discussing the results of the exchange visit, the Nevelsk partners noted that their municipal program for tourism development in Nevelsk District which is currently under development, will be approved by the end of 2010. They found the US partner visit to Nevelsk definitely helped them to strengthen the program. For more information about Nevelsk-Anchorage partnership, click here.
 

Meeting with local ornithologistsMayor Pak of Nevelsk (center), Deputy Mayor Tatiana Sidoruk, and Kevin Harun of Anchorage
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Newly Established Visitor Information Center Helps Promote Tourism in Yelizovsky District
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August 25th, 2010
Yelizovsky Municipal District is considered to be one of the most attractive tourist destinations on Kamchatka.  Yelizovsky's unique natural and environmental resources, including pristine areas, wildlife, geysers, volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs, thermal and mineral springs provide a great opportunity for tourism development and promotion.  As such, the Yelizovsky District Administration assesses the tourism sector as a potential driver of the local economy and generator of employment opportunities. On this basis, promotion of tourism was identified as the main priority of Yelizovsky District's project with the City of Leavenworth under the U.S.-Russian Far East Municipal Program.  FRAEC selected Leavenworth as the District's partner due to its status as a center of tourism and recreation in Washington State. 

As a result of the partnership project with Leavenworth, Yelizovsky Municipal District created a Visitor Information Center, a public-private partnership, based on the example of cooperation between the City of Leavenworth, WA and Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce. This is the only Visitor Information Center of its kind on Kamchatka established to inform visitors about local tourism and recreation opportunities, build a positive image of tourism in the region, and promote tourism services in domestic and international markets. It is hoped that this new partnership between local government and private companies will help bring more visitors to the area, which in turn will generate more jobs and revenue. To learn more about the Yelizovsky Municipal District-Leavenworth partnership, click here.

Delegation from Yelizovsky Municipal District participates in the Autumn Leaf Festival in Leavenworth to learn about Festival's operation and strategies.  

Delegates discuss ways to make Yelizovsky Municipal District a competitive tourist destination with representatives of the City of Leavenworth.
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Delegation from the City of Nevelsk Visits Anchorage to Study Tourism Development First Hand
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August 4th, 2010
As communities across the Russian Far East look to diversify their economies, the Nevelsk Municipal District has chosen ecotourism as a potential driver of economic development in southwest Sakhalin Island. The Nevelsk District’s unique natural environment, including resident sea lions, diving opportunities, unique bird populations, and Moneron Island just off the coast, contributes to the potential for ecotourism development. From July 24-30, 2010, Mayor Vladimir Pak of Nevelsk and Sakhalin entrepreneur Taras Zhivaga visited Anchorage, Alaska to study its system of local governance with an emphasis on tourism development. The delegates were also interested in learning about Anchorage's response to the massive 1964 earthquake, which destroyed much of the city center.  Nevelsk similarly suffered a devastating earthquake in 2007 that left 2,000 people homeless. Their visit was organized under the U.S.- RFE Municipal Partnership Program as a part of Nevelsk-Anchorage partnership project aimed at promoting tourism development in Nevelsk District.

While in Anchorage, the delegation attended various meetings and discussions, including meetings with the Municipality of Anchorage and the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau to learn about local tourism promotion and revenue generation. As both Anchorage and Nevelsk experienced devastating earthquakes, the Nevelsk delegation attended meetings to compare notes on post-earthquake reconstruction and planning and opportunities for rebuilding. The participants also visited key tourism companies in Anchorage to learn about specific strategies and models for small business development, including Cabin Fever Souvenir Store, Last Frontier Diving Center, and Anchorage Bed and Breakfast. They also exchanged experience on ecotourism development with experts from National Wildlife Federation and Wilderness Birding Adventures. In late August, two representatives from Anchorage will travel to Nevelsk to conduct an assessment of birding opportunities and provide first hand consultation on how to develop ecotourism. For more information about Nevelsk-Anchorage partnership, click here. To view more photos from the Nevelsk to Anchorage exchange, click here.

Delegation meets with Larry Baker, Chief of Staff to Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.

Delegation meets with Dr. Sheila Selkregg of University of Alaska to discuss issues of post earthquake reconstruction and development.


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MPP Study Tour Helps Strengthen Inter-Municipal Cooperation
[info]fraec_mpp
July 20th, 2010
As was previously reported here, in March 2010, a delegation representing Russian Far East Municipal Councils and local authorities visited Krasnodar Krai and Rostov Oblast to learn best practices and new forms of municipal management that could be used to strengthen the work of Municipal Councils of the Russian Far East. Representatives of the Council of Municipalities of Amur Oblast and employees of the Department of Internal Affairs of Amur Oblast who participated in the study tour highly appreciated this event due to its practical content and excellent organization.

They specifically noted opportunities provided to the delegates to learn best practices of municipal associations in other regions and examples of cooperation between local governments of various levels. In the words of V.V. Shvets, Acting Head of the Department of Internal Affairs of Amur Oblast, “Such practical oriented events allow to more actively introduce best management practices and strengthen inter-municipal cooperation”.
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The City of Magadan Promotes Volunteerism and Civic Participation Among Youth
[info]fraec_mpp
July 8th, 2010
Realizing the importance of engaging youth in the community, the Magadan Center for Business Development and Civic Initiatives with support from the Magadan Municipal Administration and Anchorage Sister Cities Association have completed a joint partnership project to promote youth participation and volunteerism in Magadan.

In November 2009, a delegation from Magadan traveled to Anchorage to advance their joint project. While in Anchorage, representatives of the City of Magadan visited local youth organizations to share ideas and experiences on practical implementation of youth volunteerism and civic participation models. Each member of the Magadan delegation participated in a short term internship with a local youth organization. Through these experiences, they studied how youth issues are addressed by the City of Anchorage and the local community. 

Following the exchange visit, the delegation put their newly acquired ideas into practice conducting various youth initiatives at home in Magadan.  Based upon their experience observing the Anchorage School District Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, a municipal initiative “Are you 18? Prove it!” was conducted in Magadan for the first time to prevent illegal alcohol and tobacco sales to young people under 18.  The project was initiated by the Model Municipal Youth Council with support from the Department of Social Support for Families and Youth of the Magadan Municipal Administration.

More than 40 youth volunteers were engaged in this initiative; local entrepreneurs, store owners, and 70 stores were contacted for educational outreach. Salespeople who followed the law by not selling alcohol and tobacco to young people without proof of identity were awarded. The Magadan team noted the importance and timely nature of the initiative “Are you 18? Prove it!”.  This type of preventive activity provides a unique opportunity to promote youth participation and volunteerism, engage municipal authorities, businesses, and non-profit organizations in the challenges that local communities face.

Magadan delegates visit Anchorage youth and community organizations to
exchange experience
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