I. Women NGO Consortium Continues Work of NIS-US Women's Consortium

II. Russian Greenpeace Organization Takes Steps Toward a Cleaner Environment

III. Ronald McDonald Children Center in Moscow Gets $40,000

ANNOUNCEMENTS
IV. Youth Exchange

V. Chechnya Veterans and Invalids Foundation Is Asking for Help

VI. Moscow Center of Gender Research Published a Brochure

VII. A Book on Journalism Ethics Has Been Published in Russia

I. Women NGO Consortium Continues Work of NIS-US Women's Consortium

The first meeting of the newly registered independent Women NGO Consortium, successor of the NIS-US Women's Consortium, was held July 17 at the US-Canada Institute. At the moment, 48 Russian organizations are members of the Consortium. Elena Ershova, president of the international association "Gaia" and new coordinator of the Consortium, pointed out that "thanks to the cooperation with the American colleagues, particularly Martina Vandenberg, coordinator of U.S.-NIS Consortium, the Consortium has developed into a large umbrella organization, which does not violate rights, proxies, and initiatives of its members, and successfully works as a network." Meeting participants discussed the future of cooperation and information exchange with American partners, the internal structure of the Consortium, membership conditions for new organizations, and distribution and amounts of grants. The Consortium does not have an official administration and all administrative, financial, and other decisions are made by member-organizations' consensus. The Consortium will start operating upon receiving funding in October 1996.

Contact information of Women's NGO Consortium:
Olympiiskiy prospect d.16, apt. 2383
Moscow
Tel.: (095) 288-9633

II. Russian Greenpeace Organization Takes Steps Toward a Cleaner Environment

Greenpeace has been active in Russia for several years and last winter helped to explore the environmental damage done by a faulty oil pipeline in the Russian Far North. Recently, representatives of the Russian Greenpeace section spoke about dioxin pollution on the territory of Russia at a press-conference held July 13 in Moscow. Data on the level of dioxin pollution in Moscow, St.Petersburg, Ufa, Arkhangelsk and Novodvinsk were presented at the press conference.

According to Greenpeace dioxins and dioxide substances are chemicals which cause cell poisoning in all animals and most plants. Accumulation of such poisons leads to a higher rate of cancer in living organisms. These poisons are particularly dangerous because they exist virtually everywhere and are highly resistant to chemical and biological decomposition.

Greenpeace representatives emphasized that after the explosion of a chemical plant in Italy in 1976, most developed countries took measures to prevent such accidents. However, in Russia people realized the serious problem only after the catastrophe in Ufa in 1989, which led to mass poisoning. Greenpeace activists pointed out that nothing has been done yet to prevent a possibility of such accidents at other chemical enterprises in Russia, which continue working with old and outdated equipment in the majority of regions.

On July 17-18 Russian Greenpeace organized a conference "From the Test Ban To a Nuclear-Free Future" with the participation of national and international non- governmental organizations, government officials, independent experts, and victims of nuclear tests. The main focus of the conference was the situation with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which has not yet been signed, despite the agreement reached at the last Big Eight Summit.

Speakers indicated that ratification of the Treaty is only a first step towards many ecological and social problems related to nuclear weapons. Closing test sites will lead to termination of a huge infrastructure of nuclear weapons production and laying off of employees. Greenpeace activists spoke of issues of medical and biological consequences, rehabilitation of victims of nuclear tests, and the costs of conversion. Conference participants agreed that these issues need thorough governmental and public examination and cooperation to cure the wounds.

Contact information for Russian Greenpeace Section:
ul. Dolgorukovskaya 21, Moscow
Tel.: (095) 978-3950, 251-9073
Fax: (095) 251-9088
Contact names: Ivan Blokov, Roman Dolgov

III. Ronald McDonald Children Center in Moscow Gets $40,000

The Ronald McDonald Charity Foundation was established in 1984 in the U.S. to support individuals and organizations working to help children. The Foundation has 102 offices in the U.S. and 13 branches overseas. In the last six years the "McDonald-Moscow" company has donated $3,000,000 to the Children Charity Foundation in Russia and other NIS. In July, the Children Charity Foundation organized a golf tournament for 80 representatives of foreign and domestic companies and firms, and collected over $40,000 for development of the Disabled Children Center. Children Charity Foundation phone: (095) 755-6622

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
IV. Youth Exchange

July 28-August 18 a group of 17 schoolchildren will travel to the U.S. The exchange program organizers are Russian Association of Young Leaders and the California Association of School Governments. Two leadership conferences on school self-government will be conducted during their stay in the U.S.
Contact phone: (095) 135-4247

V. Chechnya Veterans and Invalids Foundation Is Asking for Help

The Foundation was established in July 1996 by veterans and invalids who have recently returned from Chechnya. The Foundation is asking for any kind of medical, legal, and financial help.
Contact phone: (095) 450-3075

VI. Moscow Center of Gender Research Published a Brochure

The Moscow Center of Gender Research has published a brochure with materials of its January 1996 conference on "Gender Research in Russia: Problems of Cooperation and Perspectives of Development." The publication of the brochure was financially supported by the John and Catherine McArthur Foundation. The brochure contains scientific reports, papers, discussion shorthand reports, news of the women's movement in Russia, and a list of the conference participants. The brochure is available at the Moscow Center of Gender Research.

ul. Krasikova d.27, k.1025
Contact phone: (095) 332-4532
E-mail: [email protected]

VII. A Book on Journalism Ethics Has Been Published in Russia

The Russian-American Press and Information Center (RAPIC) and Freedom Forum have published a book titled "Journalism Ethics in Russia: Problems and Perspectives of Development," which is based on materials presented at a conference of the same name held in April 1995 in Moscow. RAPIC and Freedom Forum published the book as part of their Journalism Ethics program in Russia. The book talks about the "journalist crisis" in the 90s and its reasons, the history of ethics for Russian journalists, and mass media development in the last ten years. To purchase a book, contact:

Russian-American Information Press-Center
Khlebnyi per., d.2/3, West wing
Tel.: (095) 203-4403
E-mail: [email protected]

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