2009
Warm hearts unite people - a U.S. sailor and a Russian kid from a local orphanage.
Resetting U.S.-Russia Relations, One Heart at a Time
During the visit of U.S. Navy cruiser USS Cowpens, May 7-11, U.S. Consulate Vladivostok made its own special contributions in the resetting of U.S.-Russia relations. American sailors and enlisted officers enjoyed participating in three sports events and a number of community relations events, organized by Public Affairs. Sports matches between Russian and American youth included ice skating, basketball games, and soccer, including a game between American sailors and a university youth. Additionally, sailors and officers initiated a number of good deeds at the local Veterans Center "Sedanka", where Captain Holly Graf delighted the cameras in planting a garden, and at the youth center "Mayak , where officers engaged with local kids. Later in the visit, a group of orphans toured the cruiser and sailors enjoyed a circus show, "Triumph of the 21st Century". More meetings of minds occurred at the highest levels, during a reception on board the ship, where high-ranking officers and sailors from the U.S. Navy and Russian Pacific Fleet joined dignitaries from local political, think tank, academic, arts, and cultural arenas. The evening included a jazzed up performance by the local "Mad Swing Band", who churned out standards and dance tunes, from Glenn Miller to Chuck Berry to Sinatra to Elvis. Consul General Tom Armbruster stressed in his remarks how Russians and Americans have been working together successfully to achieve a more stable, secure, and democratic society. The ship visit was widely covered in local media.