Ambassador Tefft paid his first visit to St. Petersburg on December 7 and 8. On Sunday, December 7, he joined State Hermitage Director Dr. Mikhail Piotrovsky and hundreds of guests for a beautiful evening event held to celebrate the institution’s 250th anniversary. Earlier that day, Ambassador Tefft attended the opening of various exhibits at the State Hermitage, including a collection of American artwork valued at nearly $2 million, donated by Helen Drutt English and made possible with the assistance of the Hermitage Museum Foundation in America.
On Monday, December 8, Ambassador Tefft met with a broad range of interlocutors, including members of the local business community as well as journalists from various St. Petersburg media outlets. During his visit, the Ambassador also met with American and Russian employees of the Consulate and expressed his personal appreciation for the work they are doing.
Ambassador Tefft believes in the strong value of strengthening people-to-people ties between Russia and the United States as well as creating new bridges between individuals and organizations in our two countries, such as in the sphere of culture. His visit to St. Petersburg helps to underscore this fundamental outlook and encourage further cooperation along these lines.
