Programs: Sister City Program
Since 1987, Worcester has cultivated a Sister Cities relationship with the town of Pushkin, Russia. Pushkin, also known as "Tsarskoye Selo" (Tsar's Village), is just outside St. Petersburg in northwestern Russia. Activities in both directions have included youth programs, cultural exchanges, business education, and humanitarian projects. Visitors and participants from Worcester are always welcome in Pushkin, just as visitors from Pushkin are welcome in Worcester. Participation in these activities is open to all interested in perpetuating good relations with Russia.
Pushkin artists at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens November 2004 (right)
Pushkin artists at Doherty High School (left)
YEAR 2010
Sister City Pushkin’s 300th Anniversary, June 2010
This coming June, 2010, Worcester’s sister city Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo) will celebrate the 300th anniversary of its founding by Peter the Great. ICW is planning to organize a group of people to travel to Pushkin as the official delegation representing Worcester. Several people have expressed an interest in going. If you would like to join us, contact the ICW office.
YEAR 2009
ICW continued to develop the sister-city relationship between Pushkin, Russia and Worcester.
ICW hosted Victor Afanasenko, Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pushkin, Russia December 1-6, 2009. During this time he was the keynote speaker at two local business events: the Worcester Chamber of Commerce’s “Breakfast Club” and a Worcester Rotary Club luncheon. Mr. Afansenko spoke on the importance of international business involvement, the current global recession, and some recent international initiatives and opportunities for organizations. He also met with Gordon Lankton of the Russian Icon Museum and Richard Kennedy of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Afanasenko was featured on the special insert of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette on Thursday, December 3rd.
ICW hosted four 4 public safety officials from Pushkin, Worcester’s Russian sister city, funded by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress. The delegation included Pushkin's Chief of Crime Police, Chief of Road Police, the Fire Chief, and the Deputy Fire Chief. The theme is “Public Safety and Community Policing” with an emphasis on human rights and public relations. The program included meetings with the Worcester Police and Fire Dept., the Worcester DA, the Mayor, City Council, and the Public Schools. Visitors stayed in the homes of local families in order to experience American culture first-hand.
In December 2009 an original portrait of former Worcester Mayor John Anderson was delivered to ICW by the Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Pushkin, Victor Afanasenko. It was presented to Mayor Konstantina Lukes on December 15th by the delegation of Pushkin police and fire chiefs visiting under the Open World program, and it will be hung in City Hall in a ceremony sometime in January.
John Anderson was Mayor of Worcester during the beginning of the negotiations to establish the sister city relationship with Pushkin. The painting is the work of Sergey Artemyev, a well-known artist from the Pushkin region who participated in the 2-way ICW artist exchange in 2004 and 2005. He offers the portrait as a gift to the City of Worcester.
Year 2005
2-week program for Artist from Worcester to Pushkin, Russia
International Center of Worcester worked with the offices of Mayor Timothy Murray of Worcester, Mayor Mikhail Karatuev of Pushkin. Sponsored by ICW, Fletcher Foundation and City Administration in Pushkin.
Year 2004
2-week program for Artist from Pushkin, Russia
ICW worked with the Mayors of Worcester and Pushkin, the Worcester Artist Group, the “Temple of Friendship” artist group from Pushkin/Pavlovsk, and the Bijou Community Theater in Worcester, to organize a professional and cultural program in Worcester including an art exhibition and sale at the Bijou Theater.