CRA News and Events

87-й ДЕНЬ РУССКОГО РЕБЕНКА

April 27, 2018 By cra-eb

RUSSIAN CHILDREN’S WELFARE SOCIETY

(San Francisco Branch) presents a fundraising festival

87–й ДЕНЬ РУССКОГО РЕБЕНКА

87th Annual Celebration of the

DAY OF THE RUSSIAN CHILD

Sunday, April 29, 2018

at the Russian Center of San Francisco

2460 Sutter St., San Francisco

Adults $10.00, children $5.00

12:00 Noon – Russian BUFFET

1pm–5pm – PROGRAM

Young performers aged 3 to 18 will present Russian songs, poetry, folk dance and ballet

RUSSIAN BOOK SALE (books in Russian for children and the whole family!)

RUSSIAN SOUVENIRS

Donations are tax deductible

“Tiempo Russo” – Tubabao exhibit in Anchorage, AK

April 10, 2018 By cra-eb

Congress of Russian Americans, Inc. in cooperation with the Russian Cultural Center of Alaska and the Alaska Federation of Filipino Americans Inc. presented an exhibit and documentary film“Tiempo Russo” at the Anchorage Museum, Rasmuson Center on March 24, 2018. The event was dedicated to the 6000 White Russian refugees that were in the Philippine island of Tubabao (1949-1953) finding refugee from the communists in China and the people of the Philippines that welcomed them to their country.

The program began with the presentation of the flags by Honor Guards with the national anthems of all 3 countries – US, Philippines and Russia being sung by community youth. Elena Saturnino, Vice President of the Alaska Federation of Filipino Americans began the event with a call to commemoration. Invocation was led by Fr. Luz Flores, spiritual director of the Holy Spirit Center, Anchorage and Fr. Evgenyi, Russian Orthodox archpriest from Irkutsk, Russia, who had a premiere showing of his recent documentary film on St.Innocent of Alaska the day before.

Speakers included Consul General of the Philippines from San Francisco, Honorable Henry Bensurto Jr. and Deputy Consul General of the Russian Federation from Seattle, Khalit Aysin, as well as the Mayor of Anchorage, Ethan Berkowitz and First Lady of Alaska, Donna Walker, wife of Alaska’s Governor Bill Walker.

CRA President, Natalie Sabelnik, herself a former resident of Tubabao and the researcher and author of the exhibit, gave a brief lecture on life in the island, a former US WWII military camp. The temporary camp was to have been for only a few months, but many lived for over two years in the camp. The first Military Sea Transport ships brought a majority of the camp residents to Australia, South America and Dominican Republic during the first year, but a great many still remained.

While still an infant when N.Sabelnik arrived in Tubabao, the exhibit was dedicated to St.John of Shanghai & San Francisco, who came to the island, blessed the camp and returned to the US to pray on the steps of the White House to allow the quota to be changed to allow entry to the remaining refugees. Instrumental in the mass departure from Shanghai, was former Cossack Colonel in the Tsar’s Imperial Army, Gregory Bologoff, who unified several ethnic refugee groups within the Russian Émigré Association in Shanghai. Under his strong leadership, he sent appeals to the world’s free countries to grant asylum to the refugees. Through the International Refugee Organization (IRO), Philippine President Elpidio Quirino agreed to take all 6000 refugees as “transient guests” offering temporary refuge in Tubabao until arrangements could be made for their immigration to other countries. It wasn’t until then-California Senator William Knowland visited the Tubabao encampment in 1950 and upon returning to the US, introduced a bill to change the Displaced Person’s Act to allow the remainder of the refugees into the US.

Only a handful remained on the island after the departure to the US with 27 of the remaining TB patients, who were accepted by France in 1953. Upon their departure, the entire camp was hit by a typhoon and completely destroyed. To these people and to those on the island, including her parents, their patience and fortitude, this exhibit was dedicated, when it first opened in San Francisco at the Philippine Consulate and ran from October 16-November 11, and in Moscow at the Solzhenitsyn House of Russians Abroad, November 8-February 28. N.Sabelnik thanked the people of the Philippines for their hospitality then and now during the visit to Anchorage with the exhibit.

The exhibit had 10 historical panels displaying the Russian’s departure from Russia post the Russian Revolution of 2017, their endurance in awaiting the day when they could return to their homeland, and all that they built in their new country of China (Harbin & Shanghai), the WWII military camps in Leyte and Tubabao and the Military Sea Transport ships, the social life, cultural life, spiritual life of the Russian refugees in the camp and preparing for departure from China, as well as from Tubabao, with photos from the Museum of Russian Culture SF, Russian Historical Society of Australia, President Elpidio Quirino Foundation and personal photos and documents from her family’s archives, as well as other former residents of Tubabao.

The documentary film that was shown was made by the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation, and along with the viewing of the film, were cultural performances by the Native Alaskans and the Philippine community dancers, followed by a reception at the museum for the over 200 Philippine and Russian community members who attended.

Natalie Sabelnik thanked Anna Vernaya, President of Russian Cultural Center of Alaska (coordinator of the event), who made the closing remarks at the end of the event. The guests continued to view the panels and various photos and documents and meeting and discussing this very little known piece of history in US-Philippine-Russian friendly relations.

LETTER TO TRUMP Re NEW SANCTIONS

March 30, 2018 By cra-eb

[gview file=”http://just2009.temp.domains/~russiana/russian-americans/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/President-Trump-Second-letter-from-CRA-3.pdf”]

ПИСЬМО ПРЕЗИДЕНТУ ТРАМПУ ОТ КОНГРЕССА РУССКИХ АМЕРИКАНЦЕВ

Дональду Трампу
Президенту Соединенных Штатов Америки
Белый дом
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Вашингтон, округ Колумбия

28 марта 2018 года

Уважаемый президент Трамп!

Обращаемся к Вам от лица Конгресса русских американцев (КРА), общеамериканской организации, созданной в 1973 году, в которой состоят несколько тысяч членов, в основном это американские граждане русского происхождения. КРА является признанным голосом русских американцев. Мы внесли свой вклад в обогащение Америки, а среди членов КРА Вы найдете как лауреата Нобелевской премии, так и многочисленных русско-американских инноваторов, художников и выдающихся деятелей гуманитарных наук, искусств и наук. КРА всячески поддерживает американские идеалы демократии, гражданских прав, человеческого достоинства и верховенства закона.

Еще раз, мы вынуждены написать Вам, чтобы выразить наше глубокое сожаление в связи с тем, что Вы лично санкционировали решение высылать 60 российских дипломатов из США, а также закрыть Генеральное консульство России в Сиэтле. А время, которое Вы выбрали для этого решения невыносимо жестоко, поскольку эти беспрецедентные санкции были объявлены тогда, когда Россия и россияне во всем мире находятся в трауре, потрясенные массовыми жертвами в основном женщин и детей в пожаре в городе Кемерово.

Мы считаем, что сейчас рано делать вывод о том, что Россия виновна в нападении на Сергея Скрипаля в Соединенном Королевстве. Расследование только началось, и политики должны дождаться окончания законного процесса расследования. Это особенно важно для страны, которая решительно верит в обязательные правовые процедуры, и в то, что никто не виновен, пока не доказана его вина.

Мы, русские американцы, глубоко обеспокоены последним циклом санкций и страдаем от них больше всех. Мы больше не можем пользоваться консульскими услугами в Сан-Франциско, а теперь еще и в Сиэтле. Для того, чтобы получить визу и посетить своих родственников, мы должны лететь через всю страну, чтобы попасть на прием в консульство России в Нью-Йорке или Вашингтоне. Мы больше не можем приглашать наших родственников к себе, потому что они чаще стали получать отказы в получении визы США. Закрытие консульств, высылка дипломатов только ухудшает нашу жизнь. А ведь 90 процентов русских американцев проголосовали за Вас, надеясь Вы восстановите отношения с Россией и отмените санкции. Мы получили результат совершенно противоположный тому, который Вы обещали во время предвыборной кампании. Сегодня, похоже, Вы отказываетесь от своего предвыборного обещания улучшить двусторонние отношения.

Мы не поддерживаем нынешний курс российско-американских отношений. Нет сомнений в том, что курс российско-американских отношений, который Вы проводите, направлен на ухудшение этих отношений, такой курс не может привести ни к чему хорошему. Этот курс стал серьезным препятствием на пути конструктивного диалога. Более того, недружественная риторика в отношении России порождает ненависть к русским. Пять миллионов русских американцев, живущих в этой стране, должны нести основную тяжесть последствий этих бездумных слов и действий. Такая политика не служит интересам Америки, а ведет в пропасть русофобии.

Мы просим вас остановить эту новую холодную войну, которая все больше выходит из-под контроля. Санкции против России должны быть сняты, а диалог между Россией и Соединенными штатами должен быть начат. К сожалению, чем слабее связи, связывающие Россию и Соединенные Штаты, тем сильнее опасность войны, которая угрожает американцам и всему миру.

С уважением,

Наталия Георгиевна Сабельник
Президент Конгресса русских американцев от имени Национального совета директоров КРА

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

December 23, 2017 By cra-eb

National Board of the Congress of Russian Americans sincerely wishes

all of our members, donors, sponsors and supporters a Merry Christmas

and Happy New Year! We wish you good health and prosperity in the New Year!

Главное правление Конгресса русских американцев от всей души желает

членам KPA, спонсорам и единомышленникам прекрасного Рождества и

счастливого Нового Года! Желаем вам здоровья и благополучия в новом году!

Commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Russian fortress Fort Elizabeth on the island of Kauai

September 6, 2017 By cra-eb

This year, Russia and the United States commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the Russian settlements and founding of the Russian fortresses Fort Alexander, Fort Barclay de Tolly and the only one remaining, Fort Elizabeth (Hawaiian: Paʻulaʻula o Hipo), on the island of Kauai. These events are a bright page of the history of positive relations between Russia and the United States.

Congress of Russian Americans, Russian Center New York, and Novosibirsk State University Of Architecture, Design And Arts invite you to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of the Russian fortress Fort Elizabeth on the island of Kauai

Venue: Courtyard by Marriott Kaua’i at Coconut Beach, 650 Aleka Loop, Kapaa, HI, USA
Date: November 11-13, 2017

In this commemoration, we plan to hold a celebratory ceremony, a forum, round table, exhibition, a proposed restoration project of the settlement and presentation of several books, as well as a traditional Hawaiian reception and cultural show. Our goal is directed toward strengthening humanitarian ties and mutual understanding between the two nations. We view this as an excellent opportunity to remember the contributions which Russians made in the development of the American continent and in the growth of the spiritual life of the indigenous people of the US.

Steady growth of interest of the citizens of our countries in the pages of history, joint efforts in the field of preservation and promotion of historical and cultural heritage will help to revive communications between our people and to overcome the current decline in relationships between the countries. An opportunity to touch this joint history gives an extraordinary force of influence and raises awareness of participation of the two nations with each other. Additionally, it can give an enormous boost to Hawaii’s travel industry (specifically Kauai) and economy. We hope to attract the attention of possible investors, including the Russian government into restoring Fort Elizabeth to its full historical potential, generating global interest for academics, historians and tourists.

We are proud to report that this project has already gained support of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Moscow government, various US government officials, the Russian Orthodox Church, numerous organizations and universities, as well as historians and academics interested in preserving the Russian historical and cultural heritage. This project will receive informational support from the American and Russian media, and we are confident that we will generate a greater interest in this project once we start introducing and promoting it to the general public.

We trust you will find an opportunity to sponsor, support and/or participate in this project, and have outlined various levels of proposed sponsorship opportunities. These proposals are outlined below:

PLATINUM SPONSOR – Sponsor of all events $10000 or more

Participation in all events.
Logo and the name of the sponsor in forum materials.
Sponsor’s name in all announcements and press releases.
Placement of sponsor’s banners and materials during the events.
Information, logo and website link of the sponsor on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
Four invitations to the events.
Ability for the sponsor to speak at all events.
Invitation to VIP reception and exclusive tour.

GOLD SPONSOR – Sponsor of the Forum from $5,000 up to $10,000

Participation in forum, roundtable and reception.
Logo and the name of the sponsor in forum materials.
Name of the sponsor in press releases of the forum.
Placement of sponsor’s banners and materials during the forum.
Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
Two invitations to the events.
Ability for the sponsor to speak at the forum.

SILVER SPONSOR – Sponsor of the round table from $2500 up to $5,000

Participation in the forum and the roundtable.
Placement of sponsor’s materials during the round table.
Sponsor’s name in press releases of the round table.
Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
Ability for the sponsor to speak at the round table.

BRONZE SPONSOR from $1,000 up to $2,500

Participation in the forum and the roundtable.
Placement of sponsor’s materials during the round table.
Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.

GENERAL SPONSOR from $500 up to $1,000

Information and logo on the project site.

Friends of Fort Elizabeth – Be a part of the commemoration: all donations to Fort Elizabeth Fund are welcome and tax-deductible. Name of donors over $100 will be listed on a separate page of donors of Friends of Fort Elizabeth. Please send your donations (memo: Fort Elizabeth Fund,), payable to Congress of Russian Americans and send to CRA, 2460 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Please include your email, tel., name and address with your check. You may also send your donations here:

Looking forward to your participation and support in this very special commemoration.

For questions about how you can sponsor or participate, please feel free to contact Natalie Sabelnik, president of Congress of Russian Americans, at ngsab@aol.com or call: 1-415-999-7152.

LETTER TO TRUMP Re SANCTIONS

July 24, 2017 By cra-eb

[gview file=”http://just2009.temp.domains/~russiana/russian-americans/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CRA-letter-to-Trump-re-sanctions.pdf”]

ПИСЬМО ПРЕЗИДЕНТУ ТРАМПУ ОТ КОНГРЕССА РУССКИХ АМЕРИКАНЦЕВ

Дональду Трампу
Президенту Соединенных Штатов Америки
Белый дом
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Вашингтон, округ Колумбия

22 июля 2017 года

Уважаемый президент Трамп!

Мы вынуждены обратиться к Вам, чтобы выразить огромное сожаление в связи с усилиями, которые предпринимают некоторые члены Конгресса США и добиваются того, чтобы санкции, введенные администрацией Обамы в отношении Российской Федерации, сделать постоянными.

Нет сомнений в том, что курс, который предыдущая администрация проводила в российско-американских отношениях, дестабилизировала ситуацию на мировой арене.

Решение Обамы ввести санкции в отношении России подрывает усилия по поддержанию мира и ведет к бесполезным экономическим потерям.

Этот крестовый поход Обамы, который хотел окружить и сдержать Россию, оказался неэффективным, это также стало серьезным препятствием на пути конструктивного диалога между США и Россией.

Более того, раздраженная риторика политиков, распространяемая путем одностороннего пропагандистский шквала, порождает ненависть ко всему русскому. И основную тяжесть всех последствий этих бездумных слов и действий будут вынуждены нести пять миллионов русских американцев, живущих в США.

Такие действия не могут служить американским интересам, поскольку они затянут США в губительный водоворот русофобии.

Если санкции, введенные предыдущей администрацией в отношении России, будут приняты и закреплены законодательством США, конечные результаты будут долгосрочными. Так произошло в случае с поправкой Джексона-Вэника, которая была введена из-за политики в отношении эмиграции из Советского Союза. Эта поправка, которая ограничивала торговлю со странами восточно-европейского блока, была принята в 1974 году, и ее действие продолжалось в течение почти четырех десятилетий, хотя факторы, которые привели к ее принятию, прекратили свое существование намного раньше.

Уважаемый Президент! КРА считает, что нет никаких существенных причин, по которым две великие мировые державы, Америка и Россия, не могут найти пути к мирному и взаимовыгодному сотрудничеству. Поэтому Конгресс русских американцев настоятельно просит Вас отказаться подписать законопроект, устанавливающий постоянные санкции против России.

С уважением,

Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of the US held a national conference

July 10, 2017 By cra-eb

On June 11, Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of the US held a national conference of various Russian compatriot organizations in Washington DC.

The goal was to have organizations tell about their work, as well as listen to the mission of the coordinating council, as well as a report of the work that has been done since the current council was elected in August 2014.

CRA President and Chair of the Coordinating Council, Natalie Sabelnik introduced the Russian Federation Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak, who gave the opening address. Other speakers included Oleg Zhiganov, Rossotrudnichestvo representative in the US, and all four of the Russian Consulate Generals (New York, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle).

Two of CRA directors, Elena Branson and Alexey Tarassov also attended the conference, and spoke of their work. On June 12, CRA directors, N. Sabelnik, E.Branson and A.Tarasov, as well as Los Angeles CRA members, Ivan Podvalov and Ludmila Petlitskaya attended the “Russia Day” reception at the Russian Embassy.

Congratulations to Russian-American youth graduates in San Francisco, California.

June 19, 2017 By cra-eb

Congratulations to Russian-American youth graduates in San Francisco, California.

This year Congress of Russian Americans gave its traditional support to Russian-American youth by participating in graduations at Russian-American schools. On June 4, CRA director, Victoria Sabelnik gave congratulatory letters and complimentary membership in CRA to all graduates and a Gramota and a stipend to graduates that received a Gold and/or Silver Medal.

This year, 2 students graduated from the Sts. Cyrill & Methodious Russian High School at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, California. Pavel Priemishev was a Gold Medal recipient, while Anastasia Loukianoff graduated with a Silver Medal. CRA congratulates all graduates for their fine achievement in their completion of Russian studies in grammar, literature, history, and scriptures.

Children’s Art Competition

May 26, 2017 By cra-eb

On Saturday, May 13, 2017, the Congress of Russian Americans held a children’s art competition on ‘World of Russian Folk Tales”. This competition was conceived by the Regional Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of the Americas last year in Costa Rica, at the annual regional conference. Chair of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots of the US (KSORS), Natalie Sabelnik (President of CRA) agreed, along with the regional council representative from US & KSORS Vice-President, Olga Tarasova (long-time CRA member & Editor of numerous newspapers & magazines) that the United States would organize a national competition from winning artwork from various cities/states of the US. Among the various states that participated included New York, Washington DC, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and California. CRA orchestrated the art competition in the SF Bay Area, with 6 local schools participating. In total 147 children from Russian schools and Art Schools, from San Francisco, Fremont, San Jose participated in the competition, which was first held in their own school, from which the winning artwork was submitted for the art competition in 4 different categories (ages 4-6 yrs., 7-9 yrs., 10-13 yrs., 14-16 yrs.). Sacramento schools held their own competition, as well.

All artwork was hung in the Banquet Room of the Russian Center of San Francisco, (who were one of the sponsors, by providing the space for the exhibit and competition), by category with the name of each participant, age, title of the artwork and school that they represented. Five judges, local artists (Olga Parr, Vladimir Krassovsky, Warren Cane, Olga Sokoloff & Maria Lobanovsky) with different styles of genre and media, were invited to judge the artwork, according to various criteria, including composition, technical skills, use of color, originality, etc. It was not an easy task to find and identify the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prize winners in each category, as they spent over 2 hours reviewing the artwork and meeting together to judge each piece. As they diligently and dutifully reviewed each piece of artwork, insuring to take into account those from art studios with art training and those from Russian schools would be considered in their final decision, the guests, teachers, students waited patiently for the results, partaking in the reception, prepared and arranged by CRA.

All waited patiently for the decision of the judges. When the decision was made and the judges hung the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners, Natalie Sabelnik, CRA President, announced the winners in each category and thanked each judge, and each school personally for their participation. She emphasized how important it is for children to participate in such events, and for them to understand the importance of participation outweighs the need to win. As she always taught her children, the only losers in a competition are those that did not participate. It is not important to win or lose, it is important to participate, and this, above all, teaches them many life skills, including an opportunity to learn about their Russian language and culture. She also thanked the Russian Consulate for always supporting CRA, and these types of events. Two consulate members, Deputy Consul, Andrey Varlamov and Consul, Maksim Goncharoff, attended the exhibit and announcement of the art competition. Russian Center was also thanked for providing the space for the exhibit and competition, as well as Sasha and Nick Sabelnik, who helped her set up for the exhibit and the reception, and Victoria Sabelnik for her graphic design and compilation of the program brochure, which listed the schools, the program and the bios of each of the art judges.

The winners of the competition received ribbons, a certificate for category & placement, as well as a small gift. All, nearly 150 participants received a certificate of participation. A few children that attended the exhibit were delighted that even though they didn’t win, they had their artwork on display. Some even took photographs along their exhibited artwork. And, of course, the parents thanked CRA for coordinating the art competition, so that their children could participate. One parent even said, that while her child’s artwork was not on display, the fact that he participated was an exciting time for him.

Stanford US-Russia Forum 2017

April 13, 2017 By cra-eb

Stanford US-Russia Forum

The Stanford US-Russia Forum’s 2017 Capstone Conference opened at the residence of Consul General Sergey V. Petrov. California Governor Jerry Brown attended the event and spoke about the Stanford US-Russia Forum (SURF) as a leader in track-two diplomatic efforts. SURF is proud to celebrate its ninth year of bringing together American and Russian scholars to work through some of the tough problems affecting US-Russia relations.

The opening of the forum was attended by resident of the Congress of Russian Americans and Chair of the Coordinating Council of Organizations of Russian Compatriots of the United States Natalie Sabelnik.

Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum (SURF) – Стэнфордский российско-американский форум – это некоммерческая организация студентов, посвященная развитию сотрудничества между США и Россией в сферах, представляющих взаимный интерес, таких как политика, бизнес и экономика.