2008
America 24/7 Exhibit Enthralls Extreme North
Vladivostok PAO Bridget Gersten recently visited the Republic of Sakha (aka Yakutia) to meet with students, alumni, university faculty, and the general public, and to open two poster show exhibits: America: 24/7 and Volunteering. PAO Gersten opened the first poster show at Yakutsk State University, as an introduction to a talk about religious diversity in America. The second poster show was opened at the Regional Library where two USG exchange program alumni won a small grant from Embassy Moscow to open an American Corner-style reading room. This event was attended by 25 alumni from various programs including FLEX, Open World, TEA, International Visitor, and the Fulbright Program. PAO Gersten’s visit was covered by dozens of media outlets and resulted in numerous online reports and an interview on the nightly news program, Vesti, reaching citizens from all over this vast republic covering one-fifth of Russia’s land mass. During the visit, Gersten met with representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Education, Youth, and Sports, all who expressed an interested in cultural and educational collaboration. PAO Gersten also delighted in a variety of unique cultural programs, including performances of the indigenous singing style, Oolanho, formally recognized as a cultural heritage treasure by UNESCO.