Delegation from Russian city Nakhodka on campus today

A delegation from Bellingham's sister city of Nakhodka, Russia, is visiting the Western Washington University campus today.

The delegation has been in Bellingham for several days as part of the Open World Program, managed by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress.

During their time in Bellingham, the delegation has been visiting a number of private and governmental organizations related to environmental management and sustainability initiatives, with the goal of gaining an understanding of how citizens, businesses, elected officials and other groups are working to be accountable for managing the environment.

On campus Wednesday, the delegation toured campus, met with deans Brad Smith (Huxley College of the Environment), Arlan Norman (College of Sciences and Technology) and Brian Burton (College of Business and Economics). The group also heard a presentation on sustainability by Western students and members of the Faculty Sustainability Academy and attended a presentation led by WWU Vice President for University Relations Steve Swan.

The Open World program enables emerging Eurasian political and civic leaders to work with their U.S. counterparts and experience American-style democracy at the local level.

The delegation also visited Whatcom Community College.

Delegation members:

• Mr. Yevgeniy Sergeyevich Andreyev
• Ms. Larisa Mikhaylovna Dolgaleva
• Mr. Maksim Aleksandrovich Melnikow
• Ms. Marina Borisovna Nurgalieva
• Ms. Tatyana Vitalyevna Surkova
• Mr. Yurly Fedorovich Vatskovskiy
• Iris Metzgen-Ohlswager