2008
Ambassador Beyrle’s Visit to RFE Spurs Further Cooperation and Media Attention
From November 16-20, Ambassador John Beyrle paid a visit to Vladivostok and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, devoting his time to a number of public affairs projects and programs. In Vladivostok, the Ambassador and his spouse, Jocelyn Greene, gave opening remarks at the 5th Annual Jazz Festival, introducing NYC-based Alvin Atkinson and the Sound Merchants. The visit to the capital of Primorye also included a lecture at a leading local university that launched post’s International Education Week activities, a talk with over 80 alumni at the American Corner, a visit to a PAS-supported exhibit, “Eleanora Pray: Letters from Vladivostok, 1894-1930”, and a stage rehearsal with the young university stars of Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical, “Company”, another PAS-supported project, funded by the Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs. On Sakhalin, the Ambassador’s lecture to university students was well-received, giving him a chance to interact with alumni of USG exchange programs and local youth. The visit resulted in over 40 media reports, including a television interview and front-page interview spread in the Vladivostok daily, as well as numerous online reports.