PREVIEW - US, Russian Community Leaders to Discuss Preserving Culture at Conferences in California
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th October, 2019) Preserving Russian heritage in the United States along with bilateral relations will be on the top of the agendas of two separate conferences of community leaders set to kick-off in California on Sunday.
The Fort Ross Dialogue and Russia Community Council of the United States conference, both being held in San Francisco, are two events that also aim to improve people-to-people communication between Americans and Russians.
The Fort Ross dialogue will gather together the Russian Ambassador in the US Anatoly Antonov, former Governor of California Jerry Brown, Native American tribe leaders, scientists and students from both countries.
They will discuss the current state of bilateral relations, observe the history of Russian America from the 19th century and take a look at next generation communications.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the United States did not grant visas to members of the Russian delegation who wanted to attend the Fort Ross dialogue.
Fort Ross Conservancy President and CEO Sarah Sweedler confirmed to Sputnik that two representatives of the Foreign Ministry were unable to attend the forum because of the visa problems, but that did not affect the entire program. She expressed disappointment on this fact, but emphasized that other Russian experts did receive their visas and will participate in the forum.
"Fort Ross Dialogue is important because it is one of the few remaining unofficial channels of communication between our people," Sweedler said.
"We need just to meet and talk and find how to work together to just keep the communication going."
Sweedler expressed hope the upcoming meeting in San Francisco will help make at least some progress in US-Russian relations and open space for future collaboration programs between the two countries.
The Fort Ross Dialogue is an independent US-Russia forum, sponsored by Transneft, Chevron, Sovcomflot and the Kennan Institute.
The Fort Ross complex, located some 90 miles north of San Francisco, was built by Russian pioneers in the 19th century and is part of a state park registered as a US national historic landmark.
The main goal of the Russia Community Council of the United States conference will be preservation of the Russian language, culture and history in America, the Council's Vice chair Natalia Sabelnik told Sputnik.
Members of the council invited Antonov to discuss their concerns and needs in this area, she added.
Sabelnik emphasized the importance of preserving the language, culture and historical heritage for Russians living abroad because Russia is their historical motherland.
"My parents fled from the Bolsheviks and came to China when my father was 22 and mother was eight," Sabelnik said. "They preserved the Russian language for me. I did the same for my children and my children are doing that for their children."
The Russian Community Council of the United States is a major group of the Russian diaspora in North America whose goal is to maintain spiritual and other unity among compatriots.