The Development of the Relationship between Nizhny Novgorod and Philadelphia

An agreement on the establishment of sister-city relation between Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA) and Nizhny Novgorod was signed on October 15, 1992 by the mayors, D. I. Bednyakov and E. J. Rendell. The agreement was approved by Nizhny Novgorod City Administration on November 4, 1992. At the moment of signing the agreement significant contacts in the field of economic development, scientific and technical exchange had already existed between the cities.

From Philadelphian side, contacts with Nizhny Novgorod were initially carried out by representatives of the Philadelphian Administration, responsible for the realization of the sister-city programs. Since June, 1997 this program is supervised by the International Visitors Centre in Philadelphia (the President of the Centre is Nancy Gilboy).

Sister-city relations include the following main areas:

- Official visits from both sides happen on a regular basis. The Philadelphian delegation, headed by the President of the international Visitors Centre in Philadelphia, Mrs. Nancy Gilboy, took part in an International Forum "Sister-City Partners" held in Nizhny Novgorod, on June 13-14, 2001. On October 24-29, 2001 there was a reciprocal visit of the first Deputy Head of Nizhny Novgorod City Administration, O. U. Sulima, and the Director of Finance, V. B. Aksinin, to Philadelphia. In June, 2003 the deputies of the City Council and the official delegation of the City Administration visited Philadelphia.

- A considerable number of Nizhny Novgorod businessmen visited Philadelphia for the purpose of internship and business meetings, taking part in programs of the US Information Agency "Business for Russia" (1994-1996) and "Public Relations" (1996-2001). Philadelphia, represented by the International Visitors Centre was elected to participate in those projects on a competitive basis.

The project "Business for Russia" was a result of joint efforts of the governments of Russia and the United States, business and civil societies through the meetings of Presidents of Russia and the United States, Boris Yeltsin and W. Clinton, in Vancouver in 1993, and was designed to support Russian entrepreneurs and managers on the transition to market economy. The project aims to provide experience in the areas of the US business and practical knowledge of the market economy. Activities in the framework of the project were focused on the study of American democratic systems and free enterprise, management and practices of medium-sized businesses etc.

The project "Public relations" is a joint project of the US government and the governments of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, aiming at establishment and expansion of the ties between entrepreneurs, business managers, experts in law and media, officials of local administrations in these countries through internship programs in the United States.

- In the framework of a program of the Association of Cities of the USA, financed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Information Agency, responsible for dealing with municipal and social problems in the cities of the CIS, Nizhny Novgorod and Philadelphia made the project "Small Business as an engine of economic development" (1997-1999). The project included a visit of an official delegation of the representatives of the International Visitors Centre to Nizhny Novgorod. As a result, in 2000, a handbook "The structure of service and support of small business in Nizhny Novgorod" was published. The Handbook had been prepared and published in the USA. All expenses for printing 10,000 copies of the book and their delivery to Nizhny Novgorod were financed by the grant funds of the US government.

- Since 1998 Nizhny Novgorod pupils annually participate in the competition "Young Artists" of sister-cities of Philadelphia supported by the International Organization of Sister Cities. The participants from Nizhny Novgorod, international competition winners, are the following: Olga Lushina (1998), Julia Erofeeva (2000), and Marina Yashina (2001). Tatiana Yurlova's work in 2008 was among 20 finalists that participated in a mobile exhibition in various cities in the USA, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the program "Young Artists".

- American photographers from Philadelphia (IVC) annually took part in an International Exhibition of Photographs titled "Pro-vision". Nowadays Philadelphia, along with other sister cities represents works of its photographers on the photo exhibition held within the limits of Nizhny Novgorod City Day ("The image of my city", 2007; "The People of my city, 2008", "The seasons of the year in my city", 2009). Since 2009 Nizhny Novgorod participates in a photo exhibition of sister-cities in Philadelphia.

- There is a system of international references in the Internet between Nizhny Novgorod and Philadelphia.

- The exchange program of creative groups is also carried out. The performance of the Philadelphia Boy Choir was successfully held in Nizhny Novgorod within the framework of the Sakharov Festival in July, 2000. At the end of 2000 there was a tour of Nizhny Novgorod vocal band "Cantors" to Philadelphia.

- Within the framework of participation in a program IREX/USAID "Partnership: cooperation, strengthening, development" the municipality of Nizhny Novgorod together with Philadelphia worked out a project "Laying the foundations of tourism information system in the Volga Federal District". The aim of the project - exchange of experiences in tourism development and establishment of tourism information system in Nizhny Novgorod, which will improve the quality of tourist services in Nizhny Novgorod, make the city more attractive for visitors and increase its international prestige. The project received a grant from the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a result of victory in the contest announced in the program "Partner".

The project involved:
- In February 2003, the delegation from Nizhny Novgorod visited Philadelphia to learn about tourist and hotel business in the city and restaurant management.

- On August 24-29, 2003 the delegation from Philadelphia visited Nizhny Novgorod. During the visit the guests got acquainted with tourist resources in Nizhny Novgorod. They met the directors of travel agencies in Nizhny Novgorod ("GAMA", "Dilizhans," "Rosa Vetrov"), the leadership of the hotel "Oktyabrskaya", held workshops with the staff of museums, talked with the rectors of universities about students and teachers exchange. Besides they organized master-classes "Tourism Marketing", "Sale of tourist product" for professionals of tourist industry. Within the framework of the visit there was a meeting with the head of the city administration, Vadim Bulavinov, as well as a round table "Nizhny Novgorod: How to become a tourist centre", during which the main suggestions on the strategic development of tourism in Nizhny Novgorod were generated.

- On August 8-13, 2002, our city was visited by a professor of the University of Philadelphia, Mrs. Julia Ann Becker-Berlyan. She held lectures in the Nizhny Novgorod Region Children's Hospital. Together with the Crisis Centre "Alexander" and NGO "Women against violence" of Philadelphia a proposal for implementing a joint project within the framework of IREX was drawn up.

- On September 2-4, 2003 Nizhny Novgorod was visited by the deputy director of Temple University Press, Mr. Charles Ault, who dealt with publishing educational materials in the United States. The main purpose of his visit was to meet the publishers of academic and educational literature to discuss experience of textbooks publication and dissemination of the research work results within the system that is practiced in Russia. Special attention was drawn to the publishing houses based in universities.

Some meetings were held with the staff of the publishing house of Lobachevsky State University and publishers working at Nizhny Novgorod Technical University, he also visited the printing establishment of Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistic University.

- In February 2004, the Department of Industrial Policy and Foreign Economic Relations of the City Administration of Nizhny Novgorod and the International Visitors Centre in Philadelphia filed an application for a grant with a project "Openness and transparency". It implied experience exchange between local authorities on problems of interaction with population. As a result of the contest, the project received a grant of $5000 for covering the cost of international air flights for project participants.

- The first visit within the framework of the project was held on June 21-27, 2004 when the delegation from Nizhny Novgorod visited Philadelphia. In the course of the visit an agreement on the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Nizhny Novgorod hospitals was reached. To pay a reciprocal visit the chairman of Health Care Commission in Philadelphia, Mr. Domzalski, arrived in Nizhny Novgorod on September 7-13, 2004. Within the framework of the visit there was a meeting held between the head of the city, Vadim Bulavinov, the director of the Department of Industrial Policy and Foreign Economic Relations, V.A. Soloviev and the director of the Department of Public Health Care, V.N. Lazarev. Mr. Domzalski got acquainted with the equipment of Semashko Regional Hospital, the City Clinical Hospital #5, and the Main center of ambulance. He also attended the opening of a medical centre "Mother and Child" and a new ambulance substation in Moscovsky District. Mr. Domzalski made a presentation at the conference of the heads of the hospitals.

On October 23-29, 2004 there was a visit of the delegation from Nizhny Novgorod to Philadelphia. During the visit the delegation learnt more about legal interaction between citizens and the city administration and saw the examples of how population took part in decision-making process on city development. The delegation met with colleagues of the department of law, participated in the meeting of local self-government Council of the people living in central Philadelphia. A city program "Wall Painting" was introduced to the delegation. A special reception that involved the representatives of Philadelphia, who have taken part in joint projects, was organized.

- In 2004 a project called "Friendship through correspondence" started between Nizhny Novgorod and Philadelphian schools. This project was supported by the UN and the International Association "Sister Cities" and was also included in the program "Philadelphia Reads". Special stamps saying "Books - no weapons!" were produced for envelopes in which letters would be sent. As for all correspondence, it was sent via the UN Post Office (New York). The project aimed at promoting peace, understanding and respect, as well as development of literary talent of younger generation.

- In March, 2005 VGTRK Nizhny Novgorod came out with a proposal on a regular exchange of digests of TV news and other video materials that contained information about the life of the sister cities and their citizens. It was a story about lifestyle, traditions, and developments in the field of culture, the materials on ecology, economy, education, etc., which could be united by a program "News from the sister city". The project aimed at promoting good relations between cities and nations.

- On July 13-15, 2006 in the USA there was a Conference dedicated to the 50-th anniversary of The Sister-city Association of the USA. A number of activities were held in Philadelphia. The delegation included leaders of Russian municipalities, having friendly relationship with American cities. The Nizhny Novgorod delegation was headed by the mayor Vadim Bulavinov.

On April 16-22, 2008 within the framework of a student self-government experience exchange between the Nizhny Novgorod School Parliament, the Nizhny Novgorod Student Council, the Philadelphian School Parliament and the Pennsylvania University Student Council there was a visit of the delegation from Nizhny Novgorod to Philadelphia (the USA) headed by Irina Tarasova, the director of the department of Education and Juvenile Social Care of Nizhny Novgorod city administration.

The program included a visit to the Russell Byers Charter School, Loesche Elementary School; these schools were the participants of the project "Friendship through Correspondence" between the schools of Nizhny Novgorod and Philadelphia.

The delegation attended a meeting of the city school parliament in Philadelphia, met students of the University of Pennsylvania (School of Young Leaders), where media presentation of the projects implemented by high school students, activists and students in the framework of the program "Youth in Nizhny Novgorod" was shown. In addition, there was a meeting and a roundtable discussion on education between the Director of the Department of Education and Juvenile Social Care Irina Tarasova with colleagues from the School District of Philadelphia.