2006 Press Releases
Consul General’s Visit to Orenburg
December 1, 2006
November 30 – December 1, Consul General John Stepanchuk visited Orenburg to participate in launching of the USAID–funded HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs and in a seminar on tolerance at Orenburg State University.
Together with the representatives of USAID/Russia, PSI, and the University Research Company (URC) the Consul General spoke at events devoted to World AIDS Day. The Orenburg Oblast administration signed an agreement that will launch the next series of U.S. government-funded activities in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in the Oblast. The Consul General, John Stepanchuk, presented a certificate of appreciation to the Orenburg Oblast for their outstanding leadership in the field of HIV/AIDS. The local government, medical institutions, and NGOs have demonstrated a great commitment to fighting the HIV epidemic, and have achieved admirable progress in on-going treatment, care and prevention programs funded by the U.S. Government. The Consul General also participated in a meeting with the students of the Orenburg State Medical Academy, at which they recounted the Orenburg - Elmhurst, NY partnership project against HIV/AIDS and were encouraged to go through HIV testing during December.
The Consul General spoke at the closing session of a one-day seminar Tolerance: a Dialogue of Cultures organized by Orenburg State University. Over 50 students and researchers discussed ethnic and religious tolerance, tolerance in political culture, and teaching tolerant values. This seminar continued a program of promoting a tolerant society, which Orenburg State University began in 2004, when PAS Yekaterinburg included one of the University’s professors in an IV program on multiculturalism.
The Consul General had official meetings with Sergey Gorshenin, Minister of Information Policy, and Public and External Relations of the Orenburg Oblast, and Yuriy Mishcheryakov, Mayor of Orenburg. Mr. Gorshenin and Mr. Mishcheryakov expressed a great interest in cooperation with the U.S. Consulate General on cultural and educational programs, as well as in developing connections with U.S. businesses.
