On June 28 through 30, 2010, the IV Germany-wide Conference of non-governmental organizations of Russian compatriots abroad was held at the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin (Germany), attended by V.N. Balskiy, a representative of St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations, Head of the Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad.
On June 28 through 30, 2010, the IV Germany-wide Conference of non-governmental organizations of Russian compatriots abroad was held at the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin (Germany), attended by V.N. Balskiy, a representative of St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations, Head of the Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad.
The objectives of the conference were summarizing the results of the first term of the Germany-wide Coordinating Council (GCC), formed by the I Germany-wide Conference in Nuremberg three years ago, the debate about the legal status of the GCC, the adoption of the Statute, keynote reports, and the election of members of the Coordinating Council.
The keynote reports were delivered by I. Fiksel, Chairman of GCC, M. Burd, T. Lukina, D. Dragilev, Yu. Merian, and T. Forner, dedicated experts, V. Tatarnikova, Yu. Eremenko, L. Yurchenko, and V. Schelike, representatives of federal lands, et al.
The delegates recognized as satisfactory the work of the Coordinating Council for the period. During the discussion, the delegates adopted the Statute for Germany-wide Coordination Council of NGOs of Russian compatriots abroad. In discussing the status of Germany-wide Coordinating Council, the participants preferred at this stage to retain the form of unregistered public organization, acting based on the Statute adopted.
The Board of Germany-wide Council was elected for three years. It includes Vladimir Weinberg, Yuriy Eremenko, Irina Kobyletskaya, Zhanna Kruglyakova, Vera Tatarnikova, Svetlana Forr, Larisa Yurchenko. After the open ballotting, Larisa Yurchenko (Frankfurt am Main) was elected as chairman of Germany-wide Council.
The conference was attended by the representatives of Russian Embassy in Germany and Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin, A.A. Safronov, Deputy Director of the Department to Work with Russian Compatriots abroad at the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, V.M. Shapovalov, Chief of of the Department to Work with Russian Compatriots abroad at the Moscow Office for Foreign Economic and International Relations, E.S. Tabachnikov, a representative of the International Council of Russian Compatriots abroad.
V.N. Balskiy, Head of the Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad at St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations, in his speech of June 30 informed the participants on the implementing by St.Petersburg Government the state program of Russian Federation concerning the compatriots abroad, identified possible areas of cooperation of St.Petersburg and GCC, and announced the major upcoming events with the participation of Russian compatriots abroad.
In a separate meeting with the new mambers of the Board specific plans were discussed for the participation of Russian compatriots living in Germany in the activities undertaken by St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations.
News source: Committee for External Relations of St.Petersburg