Archives for 2017
The 4th Annual Tatiana’s Ball in Washington D.C.
The 4th Annual Tatiana’s Ball in Washington D.C.
By Yaroslava Kuzina and Katerina Forrest
It is the end of December, and as the year draws to a close, the time has come to reminisce about everything that has happened in 2017. I would like to tell the readers about a wonderful event that took place at the beginning of this year, but is still well remembered. The 3rd Annual Tatiana’s Ball occurred on January 27th at the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C.
The Tatiana’s Ball is not a simple entertainment opportunity: all the funds raised by the Ball go to various charities. This year the money was donated to the Fair Aid Charity which was established by Dr. Elizaveta Glinka, to Donetsk and to sick children in D.C.
This Ball is dedicated to Saint Tatiana, the patron saint of Russian students, who is celebrated on January 25th. Also, the Ball is held in memory of the late Princess Seline (Evdokiya) Obolenskaya, who dedicated 40 years of her life to supporting and developing Russian culture in the Washington D.C. area. Finally, the Ball is also dedicated to the image of poet Aleksandr Pushkin’s heroine- Tatiana Larina- the ideal Russian young lady and woman.
This year, this image was brought to life by eight young debutantes, who were award red sashes by the Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. I was one of the debutantes of 2017 and the memories from the Ball will stay with me forever.
The debutantes are a tradition that had existed in Russia, and throughout the entire world for many years. It is a young lady’s entrance or “debut” into society, after which they could take part in high social life and philanthropic activities. With the help and support of the organizers of the Tatiana’s Ball- Ksenia Woyevodsky, Ekaterina Kariman and Natalia Sammons, this tradition was resurrected at the Tatiana’s Ball too.
I was one of the eight young ladies selected to be debutantes because of our contributions to the support and development of Russian culture in America. Some of us are troop leaders in Russian scouts, others actively help in various church activities and sing in the choir, while yet others dance in the Russian ensemble “Matreshki”.
The “Matreshki” dance ensemble was established by the parishioners of St. John the Baptist’s Cathedral nearly six years ago. Originally, our ensemble performed only Russian and Ukrainian national dances, but thanks to our choreographer, Olga Rines, we have expanded our repertoire to include various ballroom dances, too- such as the polonaise and the waltz. We first opened the Tatiana’s Ball with our polonaise in 2016 and now it has become a tradition- we will open the Ball with our polonaise in 2018, too.
This past year the debutante ceremony was the first “act” of the Ball. We were all slightly nervous, but for me the feeling of awe was stronger. For about half an hour, I was taken back in time to the 19th century, to the court of the Russian Tsar, and my nervousness disappeared. I felt as if a thin thread had stretched from our Ball back into the past, which was almost destroyed by the Bolsheviks, but survived because of the Russian immigrants, who carefully preserved their culture. I suddenly felt the sense of honor and dignity, the ceremonialism, the unbreakable faith in God and love for the Motherland which breathes in the memoirs of White officers and in the letters of the last Tsar and his Tsarina.
I realized the importance of preserving our Russian traditions, language, culture and faith. The Ball, which had previously been just a fun «night-out», acquired a new depth of meaning for me.
At the next Tatiana’s Ball in 2018, the debutante tradition will be continued. This time there will be young ladies not only from Washington D.C. but also from New York. The 4th Annual Tatiana’s Ball will take place on Friday, January 26th and this year we would like to invite to Russian youth from all over the US to our Ball!
This year we will host a Tatiana’s Ball Weekend- three days full of fun in Washington D.C. We will enjoy the Ball, and spend the next two days exploring D.C.
All the guests from out of town will arrive either Thursday evening or Friay morning and will be hosted at the church house of St. John the Baptist’s Cathedral. Our Cathedral is located close to the center of D.C., and close to the Russian Embassy.
The first day of the Weekend will be Friday, January 26th and it will be filled with preparations for the Ball and then Tatiana’s Ball itself. On the second day, Saturday, the Russian youth from D.C. will meet up with our guests from California and New York and we will spend the day in D.C.
In the center of D.C. there is a large expanse called the National Mall, which is surrounded by many museums and monuments. Thus, it is quite easy to visit all of the major landmarks in less than a day. Furthermore, nearly all the museums have free admission!
D.C. is sometimes called a «garden-city». It is a fascinating combination of wide city streets, narrow cobblestone alleys, old and solemn buildings and modern stores, restaraunts and a variety of museums- ranging from the newly opened Museum of the Bible to the Museum of African American Culture and the Museum of Natural History.
One museum which is a «must» is the National Gallery of Art. This museum houses priceless paintings and statues. This Gallery has many permanent and temporary exhibits that show a variety of art movements.
The Washington Monument is located at the center of the National Mall, while the Lincoln and Jefferson Monuments are a few minutes walk away. You can also stroll along the Potomac River at the Tidal Basin which is filled with delicated cherry trees, given to the US by Japan as a symbol of friendship.
After visiting the museums and monuments we will have lunch in one of the many restaraunts that border the Mall. And in the evening we will enjoy iceskating at the rink located in the Sculpture Garden next to the Gallery of Art.
Sunday will be the last day of our Weekend. In the morning we will attend liturgy at the St. John the Baptist’s Cathedral and lunch, following the service. After lunch the guests can start heading home, carrying with them wonderful memories, and many new friendships!
Once again, finishing my tale, I would like to invite all the Russian youth from California and New York to our Tatiana’s Ball!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Visit of Ambassador Antonov to SF Bay Area
Russian Federation Ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Ivanovich Antonov was invited to speak by the World Affairs Council at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on November 29, 2017, on the importance of diplomacy and Russia’s role in the world. He was also invited to speak at Stanford University to the students, faculty and colleagues and met with various Russian expats and the business leaders at Silicon Valley the next day.
Ambassador Antonov incorporated visits to various Russian-American community organizations, beginning with a visit on the afternoon of the 29th, to the Congress of Russian American’s office with CRA President Natalie Sabelnik, Vice-President, Alexander Sinkevitch and CRA director, Victoria Sabelnik, where he also met with former Honorary Consul General of Sacramento (before then, Honolulu), Natalia Owen, who talked about the Sacramento Russian community.
During his visit to CRA, he was also invited to view the Museum of Russian Culture and the Russian Center. The next day following his Stanford and Silicon Valley visits, he also met with the Cossack Ataman of the All Kossacks Union of San Francisco, Nicholas Loukianoff and Kossack members of their board.
On Saturday, December 2, Ambassador Antonov went to Fort Ross to present a medal commemorating 200 years of the treaty between Kashaya-Pomo Indians and the Russian American Company to the Kashaya-Pomo leader and tribal members. On the way back, he stopped off at Russian River with a brief visit to the Vacation Beach Russian Orthodox Church of Our Lady of Kazan. CRA President was invited to accompany the delegation during some of the visits in the Russian-American community, including with the Cossacks and Fort Ross.
1917-2017 – 100 Years Since the Russian Revolution
DISASTER RELIEF FUND
Молодежный форум 2017 в Нью-Йорке
Конгресс русских американцев поддержал Молодежный форум 2017 в Нью-Йорке и выступил спонсором форума.
Приглашаем русскоязычную молодежь США на Молодежный форум 2017 в Нью-Йорке. Форум состоится 27 октября в Генеральном консульстве России в Нью-Йорке.
Форум состоит из увлекательной и разнообразной программы, которая включает выступления известных соотечественников, историков, духовенства, зарубежных гостей, а также конкурс молодежных проектов, концерт и фуршет. В форуме примут участие представители МИД, посольства РФ в США, Генерального консульства РФ в Нью-Йорке, Россотрудничества, Московского правительства, Торгпредства, молодежных организаций российских соотечественников в США.
Если вам от 18 до 35 лет – ждем вас на форуме. Просим регистрироваться заранее, так как количество мест ограничено. Язык форума – русский. Участие в форуме бесплатное.
Регистрация обязательна: yfny.russiaforumny.com/register.html
ПРОГРАММА ФОРУМА
27 октября 2017 года│15:00 – 20:30
ЧАСТЬ I: Посвящена сохранению культуры, традиций и русского языка.
ЧАСТЬ II: Посвящена консолидации русско-американской молодежи в Америке.
ЧАСТЬ III: Презентации прошедших предварительный отбор молодежных проектов.
ЧАСТЬ IV: Концерт и фуршет.
HURRICANE RELIEF FUND
Commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Russian fortress Fort Elizabeth on the island of Kauai
This year, Russia and the United States commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Russian settlements and founding of the Russian fortresses Fort Alexander, Fort Barclay de Tolly and the only one remaining, Fort Elizabeth (Hawaiian: Paʻulaʻula o Hipo), on the island of Kauai. These events are a bright page of the history of positive relations between Russia and the United States.
Congress of Russian Americans, Russian Center New York, and Novosibirsk State University Of Architecture, Design And Arts invite you to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Russian fortress Fort Elizabeth on the island of Kauai
Venue: Courtyard by Marriott Kaua’i at Coconut Beach, 650 Aleka Loop, Kapaa, HI, USA
Date: November 11-13, 2017
In this commemoration, we plan to hold a celebratory ceremony, a forum, round table, exhibition, a proposed restoration project of the settlement and presentation of several books, as well as a traditional Hawaiian reception and cultural show. Our goal is directed toward strengthening humanitarian ties and mutual understanding between the two nations. We view this as an excellent opportunity to remember the contributions which Russians made in the development of the American continent and in the growth of the spiritual life of the indigenous people of the US.
Steady growth of interest of the citizens of our countries in the pages of history, joint efforts in the field of preservation and promotion of historical and cultural heritage will help to revive communications between our people and to overcome the current decline in relationships between the countries. An opportunity to touch this joint history gives an extraordinary force of influence and raises awareness of participation of the two nations with each other. Additionally, it can give an enormous boost to Hawaii’s travel industry (specifically Kauai) and economy. We hope to attract the attention of possible investors, including the Russian government into restoring Fort Elizabeth to its full historical potential, generating global interest for academics, historians and tourists.
We are proud to report that this project has already gained support of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Moscow government, various US government officials, the Russian Orthodox Church, numerous organizations and universities, as well as historians and academics interested in preserving the Russian historical and cultural heritage. This project will receive informational support from the American and Russian media, and we are confident that we will generate a greater interest in this project once we start introducing and promoting it to the general public.
We trust you will find an opportunity to sponsor, support and/or participate in this project, and have outlined various levels of proposed sponsorship opportunities. These proposals are outlined below:
PLATINUM SPONSOR – Sponsor of all events $10000 or more
- Participation in all events.
- Logo and the name of the sponsor in forum materials.
- Sponsor’s name in all announcements and press releases.
- Placement of sponsor’s banners and materials during the events.
- Information, logo and website link of the sponsor on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
- Four invitations to the events.
- Ability for the sponsor to speak at all events.
- Invitation to VIP reception and exclusive tour.
GOLD SPONSOR – Sponsor of the Forum from $5,000 up to $10,000
- Participation in forum, roundtable and reception.
- Logo and the name of the sponsor in forum materials.
- Name of the sponsor in press releases of the forum.
- Placement of sponsor’s banners and materials during the forum.
- Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
- Two invitations to the events.
- Ability for the sponsor to speak at the forum.
SILVER SPONSOR – Sponsor of the round table from $2500 up to $5,000
- Participation in the forum and the roundtable.
- Placement of sponsor’s materials during the round table.
- Sponsor’s name in press releases of the round table.
- Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
- Ability for the sponsor to speak at the round table.
BRONZE SPONSOR from $1,000 up to $2,500
- Participation in the forum and the roundtable.
- Placement of sponsor’s materials during the round table.
- Information, logo and website link of the sponsor company on the project website and the sites of partner organizations, as well as social networks.
GENERAL SPONSOR from $500 up to $1,000
Information and logo on the project site.
Friends of Fort Elizabeth – Be a part of the commemoration: all donations to Fort Elizabeth Fund are welcome and tax-deductible. Name of donors over $100 will be listed on a separate page of donors of Friends of Fort Elizabeth. Please send your donations (memo: Fort Elizabeth Fund,), payable to Congress of Russian Americans and send to CRA, 2460 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Please include your email, tel., name and address with your check. You may also send your donations here:
Looking forward to your participation and support in this very special commemoration.
For questions about how you can sponsor or participate, please feel free to contact Natalie Sabelnik, president of Congress of Russian Americans, at ngsab@aol.com or call: 1-415-999-7152.
CRA has new Washington DC representative
Xenia Woyevodsky has been involved in Russian-American humanitarian and cultural activities for over 30 years. As Executive Director/CEO of the Tolstoy Foundation, Inc., founded in l939 in New York City by Alexandra Tolstoy, youngest daughter of Leo Tolstoy, she expanded the Foundation’s activities in the 1990’s into the Russian Federation through the establishment of viable working partnerships to raise cultural and historical awareness. Russian-American joint projects included semester abroad programs for the empowerment of disadvantaged children and a ground-breaking exhibit in Moscow on the life and work of Alexandra Tolstoy in 2000. She also collaborated closely with CRA on many mutually-beneficial projects. including improving working relationships with members of Congress.
Later, as Director of the “Consortium of Russian-American Orthodox Parishes and Organizations,” she established a pilot summer program at the L.N. Museum/Estate at Yasnaya Polyana with a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education.
Xenia Woyevodsky continues to serve as President of International Firebird Arts Foundation showcasing Russian culture in America. (www.firebirdarts.org). She is a Member of the Governing Board of the Friends of the Russian Cultural Centre in Washington, D.C. and Secretary of the Parish Council of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington and has been involved in many of the Parish’s fundraising events such as the Annual Tatiana Ball and the Tatiana Debutante Cotillion.
She is passionately committed to bilingualism at an early age in childhood development. At the present time, Xenia Woyevodsky is also spearheading the establishment of the Tolstoy Educational Initiative, a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is to create and maintain the first Russian language immersion charter school in Washington, D.C. — the Tolstoy Academy. And to support Tolstoy Preschool activities and pre-college summer programs at the Tolstoy Estate in Yasnaya Polyana as well.
Xenia was born in Munich, Germany of “White Russian” parents born in Belgrade. She is a widow with a step-son, Nicholas and grandchildren Michael and James and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.