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 twice awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Russian fighter Ace Grigory Rechkalov, who flew an American plane during WWII provided by American Lend Lease, the Museum of Motorcycles and Irbit State Museum of Fine Arts. While these Museums are each unique they reflected credibly on Irbit’s history and strong cultural traditions. The Consul General also visited the Irbit Motorcycle plant whose largest customer is the United States –Some 60 percent of the motorcycles produced in Irbit are exported to the United States and Canada. The Irbit Motorcycle factory is an example of the international nature of business and represents an example of Russian-American cooperation in the heart of the Middle Urals.
