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Open World Collaboration and Outcomes
The Open World Program is an opportunity to make lasting connections
with professionals from a distant society and culture. The Academy for
Educational Development works actively with local hosts to encourage
partnerships and collaboration between American and Eurasian communities.
This section highlights the efforts of some of our hosts who have been
very successful in using Open World hosting as a building block for
other projects and visits.
 Raleigh,
NC - A group of Moldovan delegates interested in local governance
were hosted in Raleigh in 2007. They were able to visit the nearby
town of Holly Springs, NC and meet with city officials. One of the
delegates, a mayor of the small Moldovan town of Molesti, formed
a friendship and professional relationship with the mayor of Holly
Springs. The two plan to sign a formal agreement to establish a
sister-city relationship between the two cities. |
 St.
Petersburg, FL - St. Petersburg College hosted a 2006 delegation
of regional-level Russian government ministers. The president
of the college was involved in the program, and he was able to
arrange to reciprocate the visit. He wrote:
"As the visit progressed, all of the delegates invited me
to visit them in Russia, and I was able to visit with three of
them over the winter holidays. It was fantastic. Of the many highlights,
I wanted most to share with you the "theme" that the
delegates continue to repeat - saying that '[they] learned for
the first time the meaning of democracy.' Their newly-acquired
understanding of our country's apparent openness, transparency,
and dedication to ethical standards in government, education and
business continues to make a positive impression on them." |
 Los
Alamos, NM - Los Alamos hosted Russian delegates from their
sister city, Sarov, in 2006. The group focused on accountable governance
and youth issues, and the two cities are working together on these
and other topics. They have established a video conferencing link
and are using it to work on collaborative efforts. They plan to
send five or six students to Sarov to participate with Sarov youth
in a summer camp in 2007. Also, five members of the Los Alamos police
and fire department will travel to Sarov to discuss fighting wildfires,
youth problems, and other problems of mutual interest. |
 West
Jordan, UT - An Open World health delegation from their Russian
sister city, Votkinsk, came to West Jordan, Utah in September 2006.
The Open World delegates job shadowed, shared experiences and learned
about community health fairs during their visit to Utah. In October
2006, Jordan Valley Hospital (West Jordan) sent a medical team of
4 doctors & nurses to job shadow and work alongside the Open
World alumni and their colleagues in the Votkinsk health department.
The visit also included the chair of the sister city foundation,
the mayor of West Jordan, and the mayor's wife. Open World alumni
planned the health fair from the information they gained while in
Utah on the Open World program. The entire Utah team (including
the mayor and his wife) participated in the first community health
education/health screening fair in Votkinsk. It was a huge success
with 600 people attending. |
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While the majority of delegates come from Russia, the program is expanding
to new Eurasian countries. These pictures show Georgian delegates meeting
professional counterparts in the Chicago area.
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