2002

December 2002
Preparations have been made for a group of Alaskan delgates scheduled to travel to Chukotka during January. This group will conduct site assesments in the areas of Food Processing, Humanitarian Aid, and Micro-Credit.

The Humanitarian Aid Committee in Moscow approved the shipment of humanitarian aid, consisting mostly of medical supplies, to Chukotka.

Planning is underway for sobriety seminars in Anadyr, March 16 - 21, 2003. The agenda and participants have been chosen.

October 2002
Several officials from Chukotka traveled to Anchorage to particpate in the 2002 International Beringia Days Conference, an event sponsored by the U.S. National Park Service. Individuals from Chukotka represented many organizations from Chukotka, including the Chukotka Administration, Chukotka Red Cross, Naukan Cooperative, and Raion governments.

ACDP sent a group of Alaskans to provide training in the areas of Tourism, Micro-Credit, Small Business Development, and Sobriety for Chukotka Red Cross coordinators in Anadyr. Vasiliy Dobriev, Nikolai Ettnye, and Alexandra Inankeuyas from Chukotka met with organizations in Kotzebue, including Big Dipper Community Circle, Kotzebue Electric Assocation, Maniilaq Association, NANA Regional Corporation, Native Village of Kotzebue, Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat, Northwest Arctic Borough, and others. The delegation arrived to Kotzebue on October 2 and departed October 7, 2002.

October 2002
A delegation of young indigenous people from Chukotka took part in the 2002 Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage, Alaska. This year's theme was "Our Children * Our Spirit * Our Life." This delegation also performed traditional Chukchi Native dances and songs at the Alaska Native Heritage Center and AFN's Quyanna Night I. Visit our Photographs page to view pictures from this event.

The first draft of ACDP's humanitarian aid handbook is available online! Click HA Handbook to access it. It is based on procedural guidelines provided by Counterpart International (http://www.counterpart.org) and from translations of Russian legal documents. The information contained within this handbook was current as of the date of its creation to the best of our knowledge.

September 2002
Officials from Chukotka visited the Anchorage for the 7th Annual U.S. West Coast-Russian Far East Working Group meeting. USAID Press Release

August 2002
Andrea Greene traveled to Saariselka/Inari, Finland to participate in Taking Wing - Conference on Gender Equality and Women in the Arctic.

July 2002
Alyona Burklaka and Natalia Slougina traveled from Chukotka's Administration visit Anchorage to brief American organizations on Chukotka travel and visa regulations. See Travel to Chukotka and FAQs for details.

June 2002
Andrew Crow and Andrea Greene met with Tatiana Martinova, Director of the Tundra Women's Center in Chersky, Sakha Republic, in Anchorage to discuss cooperation in establishing the Anadyr Women's Center.

May 2002
The first group of school children from Chukotka arrived in Anchorage May 3. They traveled via Magadan. A second group is expected in mid May. Roman Bratslavsky and Vladimir Bychkov worked with this group.

The first group of tourism trainees from Chukotsky and Providensky Raions arrived in Anchorage May 6 for training that took them to Nome and Kotzebue. They traveled via Provideniya with Bering Air. Tandy Wallack and Vladimir Bychkov worked with this group. A second group is expected in mid - May.

Twenty-five Russian delegates attended the 2nd Annual Rural Providers Conference in Kotzebue, Alaska May 27 - 31, 2002. This was the first time two different regions from Russia were represented. The theme of this year's conference was Sobriety: Spanning the Generations. Eighteen delegates were from Uelen, Chukotka and seven were from Chersky, Sakha Republic. The Rural Providers' Conference is an annual gathering, which addresses substance abuse prevention in a setting compatible with Alaska Native lifestyles and ways of communication including talking circles, traditional ceremonies and cultural events. The Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP) is a multi-purpose non-profit that serves communities throughout Alaska. Conference facilitators included Native leaders and elders from the state of Alaska. There were approximately 400 participants this year. Nine trainees from Uelen completed tourism training with Circumpolar Expeditions. The group traveled to Kotzebue and Nome.

The groups were sponsored through the cooperation of ACDP, The National Park Service, Maniilaq Association, NANA Regional Corporation, and the Northern Forum.

A delegation from Chukotka, including Chukotka's representative to the Russian Duma Vladimir Etylin and Mayor of Lavrentiya Mikhail Zelensky, were at the International Whaling Commission meetings in Japan. These meetings set the whale harvest quota for the next five years. Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Counterpart International, Inc., through their community and humanitarian assistance program Operation Provide Hope, approved the action plan proposal for transportation of humanitarian aid submitted by ACDP's Megan Corrigan. Humanitarian aid to be shipped includes new or used clothing and shoes, school supplies, fishing supplies, sewing supplies, medical equipment and supplies, hygiene supplies, food, bedding, and recreational equipment. This aid comprises of donations from several aid organizations in Alaska. The primary consignee in Russia is the Chukotka Red Cross in Anadyr. Project dates are May 2002 to April 2003. UAA Arcticle