January 26, 2012

For Immediate Release

SUPPORTERS OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN RUSSIA WILL RECEIVE THE
“2012 OPEN WORLD NATIONAL GRANTEE OF MERIT” AWARD

Contact:
Maura Shelden
Open World Leadership Center
202-707-6197
mshelden@openworld.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Open World Leadership Center, the Congressional agency working to increase U.S.-Eurasian understanding and partnerships, will present its 2012 National Grantee of Merit award during the annual grantee meeting on Tuesday, January 31. This year’s honoree is the Supporters of Civil Society in Russian (SCSR), of St. Louis, MO, a partner of the Moscow School of Political Studies (MSPS).

Ambassador John O’Keefe, executive director of Open World, will present the 2012 Open World National Grantee of Merit Award to Supporters of Civil Society in Russia. The award will be accepted by the grantee’s treasurer, Thomas Rhodenbaugh. Also expected to participate is Toby Gati, Vice Chairman of the Board and Senior International Advisor, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. SCSR has provided excellent hosting for 214 emerging Russian and Georgian leaders for Open World since 2007. The Moscow School of Political Studies, headed by the highly regarded academician, Elena Nemirovskaya, has been the nominating organization for delegates hosted by Supporters.

Open World’s national grantees are competitively selected non-governmental organizations and non-profits; local hosts provide professional grassroots programming as well as home stays for individual delegates. The work of the national grantees and local hosts are integral to the Open World program.

Open World has introduced more than 17,750 current and future decision makers from Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union to American political and civic life, and to their American counterparts. Open World delegates range from first-time mayors to veteran journalists, from nonprofit directors to small-business advocates, and from political activists to judges at all levels.

In addition to Russia, Open World also operates dynamic programs in Ukraine and has expanded to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The U.S. Congress established Open World in 1999 to enhance understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and Russia. In 2003, Congress made all post-Soviet states eligible for the program. Open World promotes partnerships and continued communications between delegates and their American hosts and professional counterparts.

For more information contact Maura Shelden at mshelden@openworld.gov or visit our website at http://www.openworld.gov. Follow us on Twitter @OWprogram and Facebook.


###