On June 7, Consul General Marcus Micheli visited Tyumen.  He met with Tyumen oblast and city officials, as well as a representative of the Tyumen Oblast Chamber of Commerce, to discuss areas of possible cooperation between the United States and Tyumen, including in the commercial and cultural spheres.  During his visit to Tyumen, CG Micheli …

On May 26,  Consul General Marcus Micheli  and Embassy Moscow Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs Karen Enstrom visited the Verkhnaya Salda Metallurgical Enterprise (VSMPO-AVISMA) and Ural Boeing Manufacturing (UBM), the joint venture between VSMPO-AVISMA and the Boeing Company.  Both are located in Verkhnaya Salda, Sverdlovsk Oblast.  At VSMPO-AVISMA, the world’s largest producer of titanium and …

April 11-16, Yekaterinburg English Language Specialist Eve Smith led intensive training sessions in Tyumen State University, Urals State Pedagogical University and Urals Federal University for English teachers who will work as consultants in the newly opened writing centers.  Academic writing centers are aimed at providing assistance to scholars and students on their papers, projects, articles, …

Doug McDonald, ISO, opened In a League of Their Own at Dom Pechati in March.  The film, which is based on real-life story of the first women’s baseball team, was screened in honor of Women’s History Month in the United States.  After the film, attendees participated in a discussion about the movie in English, led …

World-renowned pianist Ilya Itin performed at the Urals Musical College on April 8 and the Philharmonic on April 10.  Born and raised in Yekaterinburg, but having lived in the United States for many years, Mr. Itin’s visit highlighted the strength of cultural ties between Russia and the United States.  During his visit, he also offered …

On April 6, Consul General Micheli hosted a reception at his residence in honor of Ilya Itin. Guests from the cultural scene in Yekaterinburg enjoyed the opportunity to converse with Ilya Itin, a world-class pianist and cultural ambassador uniquely able to represent U.S.-Russia cultural ties.  Mr. Itin, was born in Yekaterinburg and educated in both …

March 31, the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Sarah Saperstein, hosted 15 university students for a discussion about U.S. elections. The students and the PAO talked about the Electoral College, the primaries and the basics of a political campaign in the United States.

March 31, teen participants in Smart Teen! Camp hosted by Global Ambassador and the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Sarah Saperstein, discussed intercultural communication and the life of a diplomat.  During the presentation, they explored the many ways in which we communicate beyond just verbal ques by creating their own culture and set of communication tools.

Roomple.ru, an internet TV site, spoke with the Consulate’s PAO, Sarah Saperstein, about her experience in Yekaterinburg as a foreigner.  You can hear more about what Americans think of business lunch, a foreigner’s take on crossing a frozen river, and a story about a Yekaterinburg taxi driver and Venezuelan cat by watching the video on …

On February 19, the PAO  Sarah Saperstein spoke about Black History Month and diversity in the U.S. with students in Novouralsk as part of the Consulate’s Ask America program.  During the course of the activity, the students discussed the civil rights movement in the United States, famous African Americans, the purpose of history months in …

On February 19, the Consulate hosted 11 university students from Izhevsk and Yekaterinburg as part of our Young Diplomats day program. Throughout the course of the day, the students met with U.S. diplomats, solved real-world problems diplomats face, conducted mock visa interviews, and learned about E-library USA resources.  In addition, the students learned about different …

Monthly Discussion Club Focuses on Black History Month. On February 18, PAO Sarah Saperstein lead Post’s monthly English discussion club at Simple Coffee. In honor of Black History Month in the United States, participants of the club explored the history of the civil rights movement in the U.S. and the themes of diversity and tolerance. …

On February 8, the PAO, Sarah Saperstein, visited a local school to discuss Black History Month with students in grades 9-11.  During the course of the visit, the students discussed famous African Americans who inspire them.  In addition, they talked about travel, tolerance and Russian holidays that are celebrated in February.

On January 28, the Consulate, in partnership with Dom Pechati, screened Selma to the public for free.  Based on true events, the movie tells the story of Martin Luther King’s civil rights movement and its epic march from Selma, Alabama.  60 people attended the free screening and discussed the film afterwards with the PAO, Sarah …

On January 25, Echo-Moskvy Yekaterinburg aired an interview with CG Micheli about his career, experience in Yekaterinburg, and the mission of the U.S. Consulate.   You can learn more about CG Micheli and his work at the Consulate by listening on the Echo-Moskvy website .

Filligar, one of the leading Indie rock bands in the U.S., toured the Urals as U.S. Cultural Ambassadors January 11 – 18, 2016. They played as a headliner at the Old New Rock festival and offered free performances to enthusiastic Yekaterinburg crowds at the Yeltsin Center and Dom Pechati club. In addition, Filligar visited Alapayevsk, …

On December 27, the U.S. Consulate General presented American Christmas traditions to the people of Yekaterinburg at a street festival, called Christmas Trip, which was organized by Stol food magazine. U.S. Consul General Marcus Micheli greeted guests and the Consulate staff conducted a series of master classes for the public. Children and adults assembled bookmarks …

Washington-based and world renowned contemporary dance group Company E conducted its second educational and concert tour in Russia’s Urals region.  In their first week the dancers led workshops on contemporary dance technique for students of dance and choreography in the Liberal Arts University, Urals State Pedagogic University and Yekaterinburg Academy of Contemporary Arts.  They also …

December 4, Consul General Micheli traveled to Chelyabinsk to visit South Urals State University.  During the trip, he met with students who had graduated from a joint degree program between South Urals State University and Clark University in the United States.

As part of the Consulate’s World Aids Day outreach, December 2, 2015 a group of medical professionals from Yekaterinburg participated in an hour and a half long conversation via digital video conference (DVC) with Dr. Lamont Scales, Public Health Analyst, Office of Health Equity, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention,  National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and …

November 17-19, Consul General Micheli traveled to Chelyabinsk to support the Chelyabinsk Ecological Forum.  The Consulate is pleased to regularly support a range of programs, such as speakers programs and exchanges, that connect Russians and Americans and help us work together to protect our planet.

On October 28, Consul General Micheli visited the town of Verkhnyaya Salda, Sverdlovsk Oblast, the home of the world’s leading titanium producer VSMPO – AVISMA. In Verkhnyaya Salda he toured the VSMPO plant and visited the successful Russian –American joint venture of VSMPO and the Boeing Corporation – Ural Boeing Manufacturing (UBM). UBM does the …

Coach of the U.S. National Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Team Trooper Johnson and coach of Miami Heat Wheels – the 2015 National Championship winner team, Parnes Cartwright spent a busy week in Tyumen, West Siberia, Russia October 20-25 as part of the Sports Diplomacy Program of the U.S. Department of State.  Johnson and Cartwright were invited …

October 15, Consul General Micheli opened an exhibit dedicated to Sister Cities during World War II at the Museum of Fine Arts in Perm.  During the course of his visit to Perm, CG Micheli meet with members of the business community and government representatives.  He also toured the museum of contemporary art.

September 22-28, the legendary jazz band the Headhunters toured the Urals.  They began their tour in Yekaterinburg and offered workshops to young students of music at the Kamerton Jazz Academy. They later participated in the first Inclusive Jazz Festival in Yekaterinburg at EverJazz that included collaboration with student bands. The proceeds of the festival will …

On September 3, Woven Together:  Celebrating Spider Woman in Contemporary Native American Art opened at the Surgut Regional Studies Museum. Suzanne Newman Fricke, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor at the Art History Department at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, who curated the exhibit, explained, “grandmother Spider Woman, in many Southwestern cultures, wove the world into being, creating the Earth and the stars and the …

On August 12, the photo exhibition Triumph and Tragedy opened at the Chelyabinsk Regional Studies Museum, commemorating the shared history and victory of the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States and other Allies in World War II.  The images remind us of the human element in war and of the atrocities of World War …

Two time Grammy-award winners Terrance Simien and Zydeco Experience brought a flavor of a genuine Creole culture to Tyumen and Tobolsk during their visit July 23-25.  In Tyumen, the band performed for tourists with disabilities at the annualRobinzonada Disability Hiking Festival near Krivodanovo village, excited the guests of the Tyumen City Day celebration at the …

July 4, 2015 marked the 239 anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. On this day, Americans celebrate the principles on which our nation was founded. As our founding fathers famously remarked in 1776, “We hold this truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with …

As part of the International Platform of the UTRO Youth Forum, a large annual forum that gathers 1500 students from across the Urals region, Consulate Staff lead a Young Diplomats Day workshop. During the workshop, 25 motivated university students spoke with American diplomats about life in the foreign service, the various sections of the U.S. Consulate …

On June 11-12 Consul General Otto Hans Van Maerssen visited the Udmurt Republic.  In Udmurtia he met with representatives of the Udmurt Republic’s government and the Izhevsk Municipal Administration, and discussed educational and exchange programs with the leadership of Udmurt State University.  The Consul General also visited regional museums, including Kalashnikovs’ Museum, the Tchaikovsky Estate-Museum, …

A prominent native artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico Nanibah Chacon has created a mural on the wall of the Municipal Arts Gallery on Izhevsk’s central square. The artwork was finished and unveiled on Izhevsk City Day which coincided with the Day of Russia and the Udmurt ethnic holiday Gerber. The mural was appreciated by and …

On June 9, U.S. Consulate Yekaterinburg representatives attended a Round Table “Modern models of support for HIV-positive children” in Yekaterinburg.  The round table was organized on the basis of a one year Russian-American cooperation project “ASSET” (Advanced Support Services, Education, and Treatment) run  by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) from the United States …

On June 3 – 6 internationally renowned American flying disc golf champions Nathan Doss and Valarie Jenkins visited Omsk. They held several disc golf clinics for the local community, PT coaches, and kids, held workshops for children with disabilities at two Omsk orphanages and finished their program with an inclusive disc golf fest at Omsk’s …

A U.S. film director Suzan Beraza recently screened her “Bag it: is your life too plastic” movie at the Environmental Film Festival in Khanty-Mansiysk. The audience ranging from university to elementary school students applauded the film maker and her documentary exposing the effects of plastic bags and other plastic consumer goods on the environment, wild life and …

The Consul General on June 4 visited Omsk, where he supported a visit of U.S. disc golfers and opened the 2nd Annual Omsk Public Arts Festival. The Consul General visited a workshop for schoolchildren conducted by Valarie Jenkins and Nate Doss, world champions of disc golf and Sports Envoys to Russia. The Consul General also joined …

On May 31, Marcus Lamb and Sarah Saperstein offered a workshop on cookie decorating to celebrate the International Day of the Child. In Mayakovsky Park, they offered children the chance to decorate sugar cookies using traditional American buttercream icing. The icing is a home-made recipe from North Carolina, Marcus’ home state. In addition, children made fruit sticks, …

On May 30th the U.S. Consulate staff took part in the charity event, called Sport for Good, and ran the 1000 m relay, each sprinting 250 meters. This relay is an annual event launched by the Sun Kids NGO to support people with Down syndrome.

On May 19, the Ural Chamber of Commerce, with the cooperation of the U.S. Consulate General, hosted a videoconference with American entrepreneur Terry Jones.  In his career, Mr. Jones was involved in the startup of ten different companies, including founding a three billion dollar company, Travelocity.com, and co-founding Kayak.com, which is now part of a …

May 13-16 American choir director Brian Winnie visited Yekaterinburg and conducted workshops with choirs from local schools and universities.  The workshops were part of the Choral Music Conference arranged by Arts School 11 and Yekaterinburg Department of Culture.  Students of Sviridov School of Arts #14, Rakhmaninov Music School #7, Youth Arts School #11, Urals State …

On May 14 Consul General Van Maerssen visited Irbit District.    Irbit District is well known as a cultural and agricultural center. The Consul General met with Irbit City and Irbit Municipal District authorities with whom he discussed opportunities for economic and cultural cooperation. He also visited several area museums, including the museum of the …

Over 200 students from 19 Art Schools of Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk oblast took part in the International Contest of Youth ArtWorld Without War devoted to the 70th Anniversary of the Meeting on Elbe. In partnership with the United States Consulate General in Yekaterinburg the contest and final exhibit was organized by ShlemGraphic Arts Fund, Union of …

On April 27, Triumph and Tragedyopened at Kosmos, commemorating the shared history and victory of the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States and other Allies in World War II.  The images remind us of the human element in war and of the atrocities of World War II that should never be repeated.  Photos about …

Dwayne Scheuneman and REVolutions Dance, an inclusive dance company that comprises one wheelchair dancer and three dancers without disabilities, visited the Urals April 21-29, promoting diversity in the arts. They offered workshops for Russian youth and adults in Yekaterinburg and Perm, challenging children and adults of all abilities to be creative together. In Yekaterinburg the …

“The level of cohesion and harmony in your music is beyond comprehension… Simply amazing!”, “Fantastic performance!”, “Wish you played more” – these are only a few remarks of the overwhelmingly  enthusiastic reception of the Chicago-based bluegrass quartet Henhouse Prowlers’ music by Russian audiences.  From April 8-21, The Henhouse Prowlers toured the Urals in Russia at …

In his visit to Yekaterinburg on April 13 – 15, U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft re-affirmed his commitment to supporting people-to-people, cultural, educational and business ties with Russia. He also laid a wreath at the World War II memorial in Dendro Park to honor the region’s soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Great Patriotic …

The Consul General trekked to Salekhard, which is positioned precisely on the Arctic Circle within Russia’s Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YaNAO), on April 3-4, 2015. Various officials from YaNAO’s regional government, as well as from Salekhard and Priuralsky District’s municipal administrations, discussed opportunities of cultural and educational exchange programs.  In meetings with representatives of cultural establishments …

Chris Merrill – an author, poet and translator, Founder and Director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa  visited Yekaterinburg on March 30-31. He met with the members of the Yekaterinburg division of the Russian Writers Union and young playwrights – pupils of Nikolay Kolyada. He also made a presentation on using …

English Language Fellow Melissa Hauke led two groups of interested citizens from Yekaterinburg and PhD students of Urals Federal University through the 5 week Mass Open Online Course (MOOC) on Academic Writing offered by UC Berkley in partnership with the U.S. Department of State.  The course participants learnt about vocabulary development; tone & diction; common …

The Consul General visited Orenburg on March 18-19 to take part in the special events devoted to the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Orenburg Oblast Museum of Fine Arts.  The Consulate has partnered with the museum  in a number of cultural projects.  In 2014, the Consulate presented  a photo exhibition of the American-Italian …

Thanks to the State Department’s cultural exchange program, San-Francisco based rock-n-roll band The Spyrals headlined the International Music Festival – Spring Beat – that took place in Chelyabinsk, Russia February 28 – March 1, 2015.  More than ten bands participated and more than 2,000 rock-n-rollers of all ages attended the shows.  Deputy Chief of Mission …

On February 12, as part of the Consulate’s Sports and Friendship program and UGMK’s outreach program, American basketball superstars Candace Parker Williams, Diana Taurasi, Kristi Toliver and Deanna Nolan and American coaches Todd Troxel and Jenny Moshak visited School 99.  They challenged students in a series of athletic drills, gave tips on the technique to …

U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg has hosted the 3d grade students of Koriphey gymnasium.  They enjoyed free communication with Consul General Otto Hans Van Maerssen, quest on American traditions and  a short tour of the Consulate.

Consul General Otto Hans Van Maerssen visited Perm to present the American repertory company, film-making group and educational organization, Company E.  Following master-classes with students of dance in Perm, Company E performed on December 5 to demonstrate the artistic excellence that graces the Washington DC dance scene.  The Consul General also met with the Deputy …

On December 9, the Consul General visited the Ural Humanitarian University to deliver a lecture on the common law approach of jurisprudence (the theory of law) in the United States. He outlined the basic foundation of the United States legal system, including the reliance on judicial precedent, with the Law Faculty students, shared his personal …

World’s first 3D printing pen came to Yekaterinburg recently. Magia Krause, Information Resource Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, visited Yekaterinburg last week to hold a series of workshops on 3D-modeling and LED bracelets. During her workshops, she also discussed the maker movement and “fab labs” – workshops that provide a space for inventors …

On October 3, the U.S. Consulate invited ten high school students from Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and Lesnoy to spend the day learning about diplomacy. The students toured the consulate, learned the inner workings of the Consular Section, tried their hand at designing a cultural program, and had lunch with Consulate staff. The program, conducted mostly in …

Amy Ballard, a senior specialist for historic preservation at the Smithsonian Institute, visited Yekaterinburg this past weekend.  During her visit, Ms. Ballard spoke with enthusiastic university students in Chelyabinsk, Tyumen and Yekaterinburg about the Smithsonian and about similarities between Russian and American architecture.  On Monday, Ms. Ballard and her colleague, Sally Yerkovich, conducted a workshop …

The U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg is pleased to announce the “Discover America in Yekaterinburg!” City Quest.  The contest will take place on October 18, 2014, at 14:00 and is open to interested high school students (10 and 11 grades). Students may participate in the competition in teams of three.  To enter, please submit your team …

The VisitUSA RoadShow, a public event about traveling to the U.S., took place at the Ural Economics University on September 15th.  The Consul General and representatives from the Foreign Commercial Service and Consular Section gave presentations on tourism in the U.S. and how to obtain a visa to travel to the U.S.   They also …

The Consul General visited Artyomovsky district of Sverdlovsk oblast to further mutual understanding in Russia’s rural communities.  During his visit, he was shown various sites, including an agro-business, “Artyomovskiy,” which is involved in poultry, cattle and crops.  He also visited Pokrov Cathedral. Pictured here is his visit to a school in Artyomovsky, where he explored …

Twenty-five students at English Drive Summer Camp learned what it takes to be a diplomat on Monday, when the Public Affairs Officer and staff from the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg visited.  The students participated in role plays, in which they reacted to common situations faced by consular, management, political and public diplomacy officers.  In addition, …

Approximately 120 campers at Hilton Summer Camp partook in “Jeopardy,” a popular American quiz game, with the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) from the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg.  On August 11, summer campers competed against each other and tested their knowledge of U.S. geography, society, schools and history.

“As We See It,” a photography exhibit by Native American artists about modern Native American life in the United States, opened at the Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts on August 8.  The U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg was delighted to be able to sponsor the exhibition, which depicts modern triumphs and struggles in the Native American …

On August 2-3 the Consul General participated in Omsk’s City Day Celebration. The Consul General attended a variety of cultural events, including participation in a traditional tree planting ceremony. In his congratulatory remarks to Omsk City Mayor, Vyacheslav Dvorakovsky, the Consul General noted Omsk’s positive socio-economic dynamics, conveyed appreciation for the continuous support of the …

On July 15, Consul General Otto Hans Van Maerssen visited American manufacturing firms in Chelyabinsk oblast.  Emerson-Metran is a leading manufacturer of technical equipment for the oil & gas sector and other industries. The company provides customers with 24/7 support through its Eurasia Customer Support unit.  Carbo Ceramics is one of the world’s leading manufacturers …

Continuing a tradition of many of his predecessors, the Consul General hosted an Iftar meal last night at his residence during this month of Ramadan. Representatives of the Muslim faith attended, shared in a halal meal, and engaged in a friendly exchange about customs and traditions in the Muslim world, including in the USA. The …

Cooperation between the Perm State National Research University (PSNRU) and the University of Louisville is growing.  As part of that cooperation, three American students studied the Russian language from February to June 2014.  The students resided on the university campus, attended Russian classes daily, and explored the city and life in Russia during their free …

The Consul General met with the Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, His Holiness Kirill, to discuss benevolent activities and religious issues.  His Holiness Kirill also outlined the religious history of Yekaterinburg, and offered a visit of the last Russian Tsar’s Saint Family Museum.  

On the 4th of July, the U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg gathered friends and partners to celebrateAmerica’s Independence Day. This jubilee, the 20th Independence Day celebrated in the Urals and the 238th in American history, featured an official speech by the Consul General, a cake cutting ceremony and, of course, American music.  Classic swing, Latin, …

In expectation of the upcoming American Independence Day celebration, employees at the U.S. Consulate General in Yekaterinburg share a delicious cake, prepared and donated by our next-door neighbor, the Novotel.