Global Training and Development Institute In the News!

Russian Officials To Visit West Hartford Town Hall

By BILL LEUKHARDT

The Hartford Courant June 1, 2009

Next week, five Russian officials will visit what to them is a must-see Connecticut tourist attraction — West Hartford Town Hall.

The Russian delegation, interpreter in tow, plans to drop in June 9 to meet with Ron Van Winkle, the interim town manager, and Chris Johnson, the finance director. They hope to learn about the town manager-town council form of American government.

The five are guests of the Open World Program, founded by the U.S. Congress in 1999. Since the program began, more than 12,000 people from Europe and Asia have come to America to study democracy, society and community life. They work with their American counterparts and stay in American homes.

The delegation plans to visit West Hartford and Mansfield town halls; New Haven's economic development administration; Yale; the Mark Twain House and Museum; the state Capitol and Legislative Office Building; the state Supreme Court; the state Department of Economic and Community Development; the state comptroller; and the Windham Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We included West Hartford in the program because it was one of the first towns in the country to adopt a council-manager form of government, where a council acts as the elected policy board and a town manager serves as the chief executive officer," said Mary Lou Sullivan, a spokeswoman for the group coordinating the trip, the Global Training and Development Institute at the University of Connecticut.

The Russian delegation will be in Connecticut from June 5 to 13 and stay with host families to experience the American family life.

"The goals of the Open World Program are well-aligned with UConn's desire to foster global citizenship as part of our outreach mission," said Roy Pietro, interim director of the institute at UConn. "We believe this program will lead to future educational program and cultural exchange opportunities with Russia."

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