OREANDA-NEWS. December 11, 2009. The Russian-American Presidential Commission Working Group on Educational and Cultural Exchanges held its first meeting in Moscow, December 7-9, under the chairmanship of Mikhail E. Shvydkoy, Russian Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation, and Judith McHale, US Under Secretary of State.

The sides reviewed the current situation, and discussed the prospects for stepping up bilateral cooperation in culture, education, science, sports and youth exchanges to widen the mutual interest of the peoples of both countries and to realize new projects in these areas.

At the conclusion of the talks, the sides issued a joint statement (follows below).

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JOINT STATEMENT

At a meeting in July, President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and United States President Barack Obama recognized the need to “reset” relations between our countries and deepen the partnership between the peoples of Russia and America on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. In this connection a Russian-American Presidential Commission, including 16 working groups, was established to start the process of creating the foundations of cooperation on a wide range of issues in which we have common interests.

The Working Group on Educational and Cultural Exchanges, headed by Mikhail E. Shvydkoy, Russian Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation and Foreign Ministry Ambassador at Large, and Judith McHale, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, held its first meeting in Moscow, December 7-9. Apart from the co-chairs and officials, leading representatives of Russian and American nongovernmental organizations, business circles and professional sports associations took part in its work.

During the discussions a broad range of questions was touched on, and a number of recommendations and innovative initiatives were worked out that should provide a solid foundation for future cooperation.

In the field of culture we intend to embody the traditions, achievements and aspirations of our peoples in a series of events in Russia and the United States. We will also explore the possibilities for innovative use of the Internet to ensure that students in both countries have the opportunity to keep abreast of the dynamic development of our cultures.

Russia and the United States have agreed to work together on new projects of mutual interest in the field of primary, secondary and higher education. A part of our discussions will focus on developing new ideas in the field of education and research activities, particularly in the scientific field, in the study and advanced learning of foreign languages and in teacher training and professional development. We will broaden the existing mechanisms for exchanges, including the Fulbright Program, teacher exchanges and the Program of Partnerships between Universities.

In the field of sports we will hold the first exchange of young nonprofessional athletes in several team sports, including ice hockey, basketball, beach volleyball and swimming. We will study the possibility of expanding this program both in quantitative terms and by the inclusion in it of participants representing other sports.

We will also continue the search for new spheres for cooperation in the field of media. We are pleased to announce that a delegation consisting of leaders of American technology sector companies will visit Russia in February next year to further develop ties and cooperation in this area, as well as the search for new possibilities of using modern technology to address the broader challenges facing the Presidential Bilateral Commission.

The Working Group plans to hold the next meeting in the United States in March 2010.

We firmly believe that by working together we will be able to impart to our relations a new quality and to move from confrontation to cooperation. We will be able to build more productive relations based on common interests and goals.