Chicago Center for US-USSR Relations and Exchanges
The Chicago Center for US-USSR Relations and Exchanges was the sponsor of the sister city program between Chicago, USA and Kiev, USSR.
About
In an article by Marianna Liss in The Ukranian Weekly, published on August 9, 1987, the involvement of the Center with the Chicago/Kiev sister city project was discussed:
- "The international sister city movement seeks to bring about world harmony through trade and cultural exchanges between towns of diverse countries. Ironically, the effort to make Chicago and Kiev into sister cities has become controversial. Both the Jewish and Ukrainian communities have been highly critical of the program which is sponsored by the Chicago Center for US-USSR Relations and Exchanges, aimed at bringing the two municipalities together. Officials in Kiev, on the other hand, ahve been eager to court Chicago. One Kievan bureaucrat admitted that Chicago would be a feather in their cap."[1]
Opposition to the Program
The Jewish community of Chicago was opposed to the program, with Peggy Norton, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago stating, "We are not ready to jump into the situation until there is progress in the area of human rights." They held that such an arrangement between the two cities would give tacit approval to the Soviet Union's system. Former Ukranian political prisoner, Valentyn Moroz delivered a lecture in May, 1987, in which he said that at the present time, taking part in the program would be an unwise move.
Then Mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington appeared to be cautious about the program. Nonetheless, he sent a letter inviting the chief executive of Kiev, Valentin Zgyrsky, to Chicago, though declining to confer official status on that delegation.[1]
Trip to Kiev
Towards the end of April, 1987, a delegation from the Center traveled to Kiev, USSR to meet with Soviet municipal officials. The delegation was made up of Erwin Salk, president; Richard Cooper, official spokesperson; Margaret Burroughs and Sylvia Herrera, Chicago Park District vice presidents; and Robert and Pearl Estes, documentary filmmakers.[1]
Board of Directors
As at August 9, 1987, Erwin Salk served as the president of the Center.
As at May 13, 1988, the following served on the Board of Directors of the Center:[2]
External links
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ukrainian Weekly, August 9, 1987, page 9
- ↑ Letter from Richard Cooper of CCUURE to Rose Jennings and Buzz Palmer, May 13, 1988