TASTE OF RUSSIA FESTIVAL will be held at Holy Virgine Cathedral of San Francisco, 6210 Geary Blvd. on Oct. 2, 2011, 11am - 6pm.
CRA, as asponsor, is looking forward to another success of this event as in the years past. Click on picture and here for details.

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Rusian Sailing Ship Pallada Vists San Francisco
Full-Rigged Ship Russian sailing ship Pallada came to San Francisco Bay On August 19. Pallada, now on a four-month round-the-world journey, dedicated to two events - 270 years since the Bering Expedition and discovery of Russian America (namely Alaska and the Aleutian Islands) and 50 years since Yuri Gagarin's flight into space, reached San Francisco for a four day visit. The journey started on July 1, 2011 from Vladivostok, the port of its registration, under the command of Captain Vasily Ivanovich Sviridenko. Over 120 cadets from the Kamchatka Peninsula
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Archbishop Justinian visits the Russian Center
Archbishop Justinian of          Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of Patriarchal Parishes in the USA visited the Congress of Russian Americans on August 1, 2011 and met with its President, Natalie Sabelnik. She acquainted him about the organization, its history and the goals of the Congress, the primary one still being that of conveying the correct perception of historical Russia, its policies, culture, and traditions. She also told him about the Congress' current programs such as: aid to needy and sick children and orphanages in Russia, support for the "Village Churches" project, and the program for work with the Russian-American youth, one of which is the encouragement for those who study Russian language and literature
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Heritage Celebration at Fort Ross
The annual Fort Ross Cultural Heritage Day celebration was held this year on Saturday, July 30, 2011. A liturgy, officiated by Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Father Andrei of the St.Nicholas Cathedral in San Francisco and other clergy, and opening ceremonies including directors and staff of Fort Ross, Consul General of Russian Federation, Vladimir N. Vinokurov started the day in the early morning. Festivities throughout the day, included costumed participants in a day of traditional activities and demonstrations, including blacksmithing weaving, spinning, needlework, metalworking, woodworking, rope making, knot tying, musket and cannon demonstrationsand and traditional Russian
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Russian Americans of Greater Cleveland Celebrate a Festival of Food and Culture
St.Sergius of Radonezh Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, Ohio (Suburb of Cleveland) held its first Russian Festival on the weekend of July 30 & 31st, 2011. The festival was sponsored in part by the Congress of Russian Americans, the Russian American Cultural Society of Cleveland, Russian Life magazine and other local businesses. Even though it was its first such festival it turned out to be a tremendous success – socially and otherwise – due in part, to the enthusiastic support by a growing Russian American community in the Greater Cleveland. Plans are under way to make it an annual event. The festival, a two-day event, featured performances of
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2011 Graduations at Russian American Schools
This year Congress of Russian Americans gave its traditional support to Russian-American youth by participating in graduations at Russian-American schools. In these events CRA gave congratulatory letters and complementary membership in CRA to all graduates and a Gramota and a stipend to graduates that received a Gold Medal. The Gold Medal recipients in 2011 were Aleksei Bolshakoff and Nikolai Shmelev from the Church of AllRussian Saints in Burlingame, CA and Anastasia Mushtaeva and Antonyi Priyemshev from the Ss. Cyrill & Methdy School in San Francisco, CA. CRA congratulates all graduates for their fine achievement in their completion of Russian studies in grammar, literature, history, and scriptures.
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Russia Days in Chicago
CRA participated at the recent Russia Days event that took place on 6/13 2011 at the Chicago Cultural Center in Chicago. Various dignitaries, including the Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and Prince Pyotr Galitzine attended this celebration.  A program of Russian song and dance featured the Golosa Choir (folk songs of Siberia, sung by a group of Americans from the University of Chicago), Joffrey Academy of Dance and Russian Cathedral Ensemble (from Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Des Plaines) sang both sacred and Russian folk songs.  Lydia Swenton, CRA director on the CRA national board, and secretary of the Chicago Chapter represented CRA at this celebration which, according to Aleksandra Efimova, Master of Ceremonies and co-chair of this event, would be the first of annual Russia Days in Chicago.

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2011 marks the 270th anniversary of the Vitus Bering Expedition and discovery of Alaska and Aleutian Islands.
CRA met with organizers of various special events planned to commemorate this year, which includes the arrival of the Russian sail training ship "Pallada" at Fort Ross and San Francisco and the Russian international relay swim team that plans to make a record swim across the Bering Strait from Russia to US. The Pallada was built 20 years ago in the Polish seaport of Gdansk and has a crew of cadets from marine institutes of Russia.
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CRA 9th Annual Fundraiser Reception

Congress of Russian Americans' fundraiser/reception on Saturday, May 7 was a great success with a large turnout at the "Chateau Bleu" in San Francisco. "Chateau Bleu" was built in 1901 for Baron von Rothschild and designed by the same architect as that of "Petit Trianon", the site of numerous CRA fundraisers in the past. "Chateau Bleu" has stood amongst some of the most beautiful buildings in the elite district of San Francisco and served different purposes throughout the last century, including a residence, a school, a restaurant, a guest house, retirement home and now again a private residence.
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CRA-Russian Center Lecture Series

History of Russians in America, Part I, was presented by historian Anatol Shmelev, at the San Francisco Russian Center on January 21, 2011. The presentation was organized by the Congress of Russian Americans and all donations were to benefit the Museum of Russian Culture. The lecture was in English, an important consideration for attracting those who did not speak fluent Russian but were interested in the history of ethnic Russian settlers in America.
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     "Taste of Russia" Festival in San Francisco

The annual "Taste of Russia" Festival at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco was held on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 and was deemed a tremendous success. Vendors sold various Russian souvenirs, lacquer boxes, Matrioshka stacking dolls, shawls and other arts and crafts in both halls and in the school yard.   There were numerous activities for children, as well. An array of traditional Russian food included a variety of favorite dishes, beverages and deserts. It was good to see that not only the parishioners of the cathedral, but members of other churches, and community representatives attended the festival.   There were also many other people, who were not Russian, but were interested in participating and acquainting themselves with the Russian culture, language and the orthodox church.  Many volunteers, including children and young adults worked hard, before, after and during the festival in a combined effort to make it successful.

The program was organized by Natalie Sabelnik, President of the Congress of Russian Americans, one of the organizations that sponsored this festival.  The well thought-out program presented the audience with an opportunity during the festival to visit the cathedral and view the frescoes, mosaics, icons and to listen to two of the cathedrals choirs, as well as different aspects of Russian folk music.  Singers, dancers and musicians of different ages, performed in beautiful, colorful costumes, and created an atmosphere of celebration and joy throughout the entire day of the festival.

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Fourth Regional Conference of Russian Compatriots of Americas

The 4th Regional Conference of Russian Compatriots of South, Central and North America was held on July 9, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in New York City.   Delegates from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, as well as Canada and the US attended the conference.  Also, attending were Archbishop Justianin of Naro-Fominsk, the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA,  Consul General of the Russian Federation, Andrey K. Yushmanov, and members of the Department of work with Russian Compatriots at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.    CRA President, Natalie Sabelnik, a member of both the Council of Russian Compatriots of the US and the Council of Latin & North America, represented the Russian American diaspora on the West Coast.    Of particular interest to the attendees was the recent news of Renova's sponsorship of Fort Ross and the success of keeping the park open year round.   These conferences provide opportunities for Russian community leaders to share their knowledge and expertise, and often to find ways of working together.  CRA was selected to be the link between Russian American organizations in the US and those in Latin America.  The site of next year's conference was proposed for either Chile or Peru.

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May 29, 2010

Graduation at Ss.Cyril & Methodious High School in San Francisco

The 58th graduating class of Ss.Cyril & Methodious High School in San Francisco, at the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of All Those Who Sorrow included 9 graduates - Ariadna and Olga Baranov, Nikolai Dale, Feodor Gorodiloff, Nadezhda Osokina, Anastasia Triantafillidis, Anna Sapozhnikova, Elena Shikalova, and Natalia Tillbrook.   The graduation was held on Saturday, May 29 at the school's hall.  The Congress of Russian Americans sent congratulatory letters to each of the graduates, along with complimentary membership to CRA.  The 4 Gold Medal winners (A.&O. Baranov, A.Triantafillidis & E.Shikalova) also received special acknowledgement and recognition (stipends).

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