CEC International Partners
12 West 31st Street 4th Floor
New York, New York 10001
Phone: (212) 643-1985, ext. 20
Fax: (212) 643-1996
E-Mail: [email protected]
Contact: Allison Pultz, Coordinator- St. Petersburg 2003

On Friday, May 29, the city of St. Petersburg will publicly present its plan for the Tercentenary, including a five year master calendar of cultural projects and events. Arts programming for the Tercentenary is intended to strengthen the idea of St. Petersburg as an important destination for the cultural traveler and show the City's capacity for organizing world class events.

Governor Vladimir Yakovlev has asked the American Committee for St. Petersburg 2003 to stimulate and coordinate American projects for the Tercentenary. The Committee, headed by Ambassador William Luers (President of the Metropolitan Museum), has established a track record of supporting St. Petersburg-related projects over the past few years. I want to emphasize that the Committee's role at this point is one of collecting and sharing information. The Committee's aims are to announce American projects in St. Petersburg to the largest possible audience, to win us all access to Russian government officials, to inform potential partners and funders of opportunities, and to keep American organizations informed about St. Petersburg's progress towards 2003.

CEC International Partners is providing administrative support for the American Committee. Our first task is to draw together a list of US cultural organizations that are or will be doing projects in St. Petersburg during the next five years. "Culture" includes the arts, arts management, education, and historic preservation. We ask you to send us a brief description of your projects or related efforts.

We are also inviting you to participate in the Tercentenary planning process and attend the May meeting in St. Petersburg. Even if you cannot attend, we would like to list your organization and its projects.

I am enclosing a Memorandum from the St. Petersburg Institute for Cultural Programs describing the May event. I also enclose CEC's unfinished and partial inventory of American projects. Please let us know the following:

• Will you be coming to the May 29 event? (If numbers are sufficient, we will try to arrange a travel and accommodations package.)
• Should we add information about your plans to the inventory?
• Do you want it presented in St. Petersburg in May?
• Do you know of other organizations or individuals that should be included?

You may communicate with CEC by email, or fax (212-643-1996).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Michael Brainerd
President
CEC International Partners

MEMORANDUM

[translation from the Russian document issued by St. Petersburg's Institute for Cultural Programs, Committee on Culture, St. Petersburg City Administration]

Guidelines in Preparation for St. Petersburg's 300th Anniversary

As the city's 300th anniversary fast approaches, it seems appropriate to focus the city's efforts and resources toward utilizing the event to multiple ends: to advance St. Petersburg into the international market for tourism and culture, to develop the cultural and historical potential of St. Petersburg, and to attract investors to the city's economy.

The importance of the anniversary is that it gives St. Petersburg a chance to prove its potential as a world-class city, capable of hosting unique and varied events of an international stature.

Preparations for the 300th anniversary should become an integral part of the work of the city's organizations and offices. It should be a natural reflex and should stimulate the creation of a set of projects that will inform all aspects of public life and private activity with the uniqueness of Petersburg culture. It will also assert Petersburg's central role in world culture. Working to organize activities at this level will provide invaluable experience necessary to advancing the city's development. The plans for the Tercentenary, which are part of the "Strategic Plan for St. Petersburg," will be presented on May 29th, just following the city's 295th anniversary on May 27, 1998. This date, chosen as the best moment for the Presentation, allows both for the inclusion of the Tercentenary in long-term international calendars and for participation by foreign public and private organizations, international corporations, foundations, and arts and cultural groups.

We also expect that representatives of St. Petersburg's City Administration, business, academia, the arts and cultural circles will all take part in the Presentation.

The goals of the Presentation are:

• to draw the attention of Russian and world audiences to St. Petersburg and its anniversary
• to familiarize city, Russian and world-wide mass media with anniversary projects and events of St. Petersburg organizations and institutions
• to invite international foundations and cultural organizations to cooperate in the realization of the announced plans and projects
• to build long-term partnerships between cultural/arts organizations and the business sector, strengthening the role of culture in the city's economy

• a master calendar of city events connected with the 300-year anniversary, such as schedules for museums, theaters, libraries, exhibition halls (including Lenexpo), and events related to tourism and business
• an announcement of international projects, sponsored by foreign organizations and foundations, in honor of the anniversary

• opening ceremonies
• unveiling of a memorial clock on Nevsky Prospect, which will count down the days until 2003
• delegations from foreign "St. Petersburg 2003" committees, for presentations and meetings with representatives of St. Petersburg's cultural, public and private sectors

Allison Pultz
Coordinator, St. Petersburg 2003
CEC International Partners
12 West 31st Street 4th Floor
New York, New York 10001
Tel: 212.643.1985 ext. 20
Fax: 212/643.1996

Sponsored by:
Center for Civil Society International

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