Twin-city relations with the cities of non-CIS states

1. Development of friendly relations with the city of Pazardjik (the Republic of Bulgaria)

The city of Pazardjik was founded in 1485. It’s located in the south of Bulgaria in the central part of the Tracia Lowland to the north of the Rhodopi Mountains on the river Maritza. It’s situated more than 200 metres above the sea level between two large cities – Sofia and Plovdiv. The city is divided into two parts by the river Maritza.

The city of Pazardjik is an administrative centre of the Pazardjik region with a population nearly 90 thousand people. The region comprises a large city Pazardjik and 31 rural settlements.

Nowadays the leading industrial branches in Pazardjik are machine building, clothing, furniture-making and food production.

The largest industrial enterprises in the city are “KAUCHUK”, a plant on accumulator batteries production “ELHIM-ISKRA”, a plant “PODEMMASHSTROI” on the production of cranes, construction machinery and hardware. One of the famous food processing enterprises on the Balkans is “Maritza”, a plant on tinned fruit and vegetables production.

Agriculture plays an important role in the economy of the region. The cultivated land comprises 24.4%, forest areas – 54.8%. The main agricultural branches include growing of different kinds of vegetables and potatoes, oil-yielding crops, tobacco and medicinal herbs as well as fruit gardens and vine growing for wine production.

Close location to the ancient Rhodopi and Sredna mountains, mild climate and natural resources affluence present splendid opportunities for having rest and promote tourist business development.

A lot of attention is paid to the education and social sphere development. There are more than 170 educational institutions on the territory of the region: primary, vocational, language schools and kindergardens. In the city of Pazardjik an educational system includes specialized technical and language schools which provide competitiveness of school-leavers in local business community.

Social services provided by the city of Pazardjik include gerontological centres, children’s home for children with mental disorders, family centres for children from 1 up to 3 years of age, orphanage for neglected children.

More than 330 architectural and historical monuments are being carefully preserved on the territory of the region. They are:

• Art gallery “Stanislav Dospevsky”. It has a rich collection of painting, graphic arts and sculpture. The paintings of Bulgarian artists from the end of the XIX-th century up to nowadays are presented in the gallery.
• A museum-house by Konstantin Velichkov where a famous writer, painter and interpreter lived; he was an active member of the struggle for national liberation movement;
• a church “Assumption of Saint Mother of God”, a monument of culture of national importance which was built in 1836-1837years.

More information about the city of Pazardjik you can find on the website:www.pazardjik.bg.

Friendly relations between Stavropol and Pazardjik were established in 1969, when an Agreement on friendly relations between Stavropol and Pazardjik was signed and a city branch of Soviet –Bulgarian friendship was founded.

70-80th years of the XX-th century were marked with active partners relations. Annual exchange of official delegations was carried out, business contacts between industrial enterprises were fruitful. New industrial and housing buildings, a shop “Pazardjik”, a restaurant “Trakia” were built in Stavropol with participation of Bulgarian builders. Stavropolian architects took part in an open competition for the best administrative building and a residential area “Stavropol” in Pazardjik.

“Friendship trains” were organized, so the residents of Stavropol and Pazardjik got the opportunity to learn about the twin-cities traditions and customs. A lot of delegations of teachers, doctors, students, pupils, artistic groups visited each other.

Cultural relations were very active. An artistic group “Pazardjik”, a children choir “Maestro Atanasov’’, a folk dance group “Chavdar” gave concerts in Stavropol. Artistic groups “Zoryanochka”, “Zhavoronok” from Stavropol went on tours to the twin-city. The poems by Bulgarian poets were translated into Russian and the collection of poems “Tear in the wind” and “Kind echo” were published.

Twin-cities newspapers, radio and TV informed about the most important and interesting events of cities social and cultural life. The collections of essays, articles and documents “By friendship roads”, a book “Together for ever”, a booklet “Stavropol and Pazardjik are brothers” were published.

Changes in the beginning of the 90-th years in Russia influenced further development of friendly relations between our cities which were characterized by a certain decline. From the beginning of 1996 a dynamic development of cooperation between twin -cities was observed. According to the Agreement on the cooperation between Stavropol and Pazardjik twin-cities relations developed in different fields: in the sphere of sharing experience on local self-government and city economy issues as well as development of economics and trade, education and culture.

There was an annual exchange of official delegations headed by the twin-cities administration leaders. In the course of those visits an exchange of experience was carried out on local self-government issues, state control problems in the sphere of nature management and nature conservation, social protection of vulnerable groups.

Business meetings of delegation members were organized with the heads of the housing and municipal economy, transport, architecture, city-planning and land use Committees as well as with the representatives of small and medium-scale business. Official guests learnt the work of the largest enterprises in Pazardjik: “Kris”, “Kauchuk”, “Trakia Papir”. In Stavropol the delegations from Pazardjik visited “Biofactory”, a dairy complex “Stavropolsky” and the municipal social-cultural and medical institutions. Within the frameworks of those meetings an issue of twin-cities relations development was discussed. A representative office of the city of Stavropol was opened in Pazardjik aimed at developing and strengthening business-relations between our cities.

Active development of cultural relations was going on. Days of Culture of the city of Stavropol and Pazardjik became traditional as well as the celebration of the City Day with the participation of artistic groups from the twin-cities. Original children dance group “Raduga” of the municipal choreographic school took part in the Stavropol city Days of culture in Pazardjik.

A state folk and dance group “Pazardjik” performed an interesting programme during Stavropol city day celebration.

The Days of Culture of Pazardjik were held within the framework of Stavropol city 225th anniversary celebration. In the course of that event different activities became popular: applied arts and fine arts exhibitions, exhibitions of photos and others. Artistic meetings of the members of the Stavropol Region Writers organization and the Bulgarian Writers Union were organized during the Days of Poetry in the city of Pazardjik. Presentation of Bulgarian poets’ translations was made.

Stavropol city administration representatives took part in the events at the Russian and Bulgarian Soldiers Memorial on the top of Shipka within the framework of the national programme devoted to 125th anniversary celebration of Bulgaria liberation from ottoman yoke.

Twin-cities delegations participations in celebration of important and jubilee dates as well as Days of Culture were covered by mass media.

Twin-cities municipalities pay a lot of attention to the further development of cooperation in the sphere of education. In May 2006 a Plan of cooperation between the Education Department of Stavropol city administration and the Education Sector of the Community Pazardjik for 5 years was signed. It includes teachers and students delegations exchanges, visiting educational institutions, participation in the scientific conferences, establishment of the Russian-Bulgarian Friendship Museum and others.

Gymnasium ¹25 of the city of Stavropol and a vocational school named in honour of G. Bregov were defined as basic institutions for the development of friendly relations in the educational sphere.

Groups of pupils exchanges take place every year. During those visits the pupils met with the twin-cities leaders. The teachers and the pupils learnt the educational systems of Russia and Bulgaria as well as cultural and historical heritage of twin-cities, they shared experience of methodological and educational work. A meeting of Bulgarian pupils with the students of Philology, Journalism and Arts Faculties of the Stavropol State University was organized.

Twin-cities pupils took an active part in the holiday events devoted to the Slavonic Writing and Culture Days which were held in the city of Pazardjik and ceremonial events devoted to the 230-th anniversary of the city of Stavropol; they gave concerts a lot of times.

From 2000 up to 2008 the officials of the twin-cities took an active part in the I-IV Bulgaria and Russia Twin-cities Meetings which were organized by the “Twin-cities” International Association and the Bulgarian National Communities Union. During those Meetings the partnership development issues between local governments of two countries were discussed, the participants shared experience on intermunicipal relations development problems between Russia and Bulgaria.

Ñooperation with the city of Pazardjik is being developed in different branches of socio-cultural sphere according to the plan of cooperation between the city of Stavropol(The Russian Federation) and the community of Pazardjik (The Republic of Bulgaria) for 2008-2010.

A Programme of events devoted to 130th anniversary of victory in 1877-1878 Russian- Turkish War and liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman yoke was implemented by the international and interregional relations department and Stavropol city administration committees. A ceremonial meeting of the members of All-Russian non-governmental organization “Bulgaria’s friends Union” Stavropol branch was held with participation of Stavropol city administration representatives, Great Patriotic War veterans and the public. “Memory lessons” and thematic class hours were given at the educational institutions as well as an essay competition devoted to the significant date was held at specialized educational institutions. Applied arts exhibitions were organized at the institutions for complementary education. Activities devoted to 130th anniversary of Bulgaria’s liberation from Ottoman yoke were held at the institutions of culture. An exhibition “Stavropol- Pazardjik –twin-cities” was opened in the Stavropol State Local history Museum named after G.N.Prozritelev and G.K.Prave; it was of great interest to Stavropol citizens. A books review of Bulgarian and Russian authors was held in the city libraries. Days of Bulgarian cuisine were held aimed at popularization of Bulgarian people’s traditions and customs.

The Pazardjik official delegation headed by Deputy Mayor Angel Velkov visited Stavropol in September 2008 in order to develop friendly relations. The members of the delegation received a very warm welcome by the officials of the city. The perspectives of the twin- cities relations development between the cities of Stavropol and Pazardjik were discussed. The Bulgarian delegation visited social sphere objects in the city of Stavropol. The delegation took part in the ceremonial events devoted to the Stavropol City Day celebration. The Bulgarian guests had meetings with representatives of national communities and members of All-Russian non-governmental organization “Bulgaria’s friends Union”.

Within the framework of the Agreement “About cooperation between the Education Department of Stavropol city administration and the Education department of the community of Pazardjik administration for 2008-2009” there was a students exchange between the vocational school named after G. Bregov and the Stavropol city Gymnasium ¹25. During the visits joint activities of Bulgarian and Russian teachers and pupils were held. The teachers of twin-cities educational institutions shared experience of work and some subjects teaching methodology, they discussed actual international cooperation issues in the field of educational process organization. The pupils attended lessons of their foreign counterparts. Thus they had a chance to compare the educational systems in Russia and Bulgaria. Bulgarian and Russian pupils participated in joint concerts, visited school theatres performances.

The officials of Pazardjik and Stavropol administrations as well as representatives of artistic community welcomed the pupils of the twin-cities. The pupils of the school named after G. Bregov took an active part in the ceremonial events devoted to the Stavropol City Day celebrations.

During their visits pupils visited cultural and historical heritage monuments of the twin-cities. A visit to the Memorial on the mountain Shipka impressed Russian pupils greatly.

The international and interregional relations department of the Stavropol city administration developed an interesting program of the Bulgarian pupils’ visit to Moscow: they visited the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Kremlin Cathedrals and memorial complex at Poklonnaya Mountain.

Within implementation of the Plan of cooperation between Stavropol and Pazardzhik the books and information about Stavropol city history, its places of interest and its writers were sent to the “F. Furnadzhiev” regional library of Pazardzhik.

In 2009 a multi-aspect inter-municipal cooperation was organized to promote development of humanitarian and cultural relations between twin-cities within the framework of the “Year of Bulgaria in Russia” international action.

Friendly relations between Stavropol and Pazardjik were being developed. According to the Plan of cooperation between the city of Stavropol (The Russian Federation) and the community of Pazardjik (Republic of Bulgaria) for 2008-2010 and the twin city mayor’s invitation the Stavropol city official delegation visited the twin city Pazardjik in May 2009. The delegation was headed by the first deputy head of the Stavropol city administration Zaitsev Andrey Vladimirovich. During the visit the peculiarities of representative and executive powers of the Republic of Bulgaria were introduced to the delegation members. They shared the best experiences on different issues of local self-government and visited industrial and social sphere enterprises in the twin-city. They discussed the guidelines of twinning relations development between Stavropol and Pazardjik. The Stavropol city administration delegation members took an active part in the holiday events devoted to Pazardjik City Day and Slavonic Writing and Culture Days.

A Plan of events devoted to the Year of Bulgaria in Russia was implemented aimed at raising awareness of residents about the history of Russian-Bulgarian relations development as well as Bulgarian customs and traditions.

A special attention was paid to involvement of students and pupils into activities. In the period from the 15th to the 17th of September an international theoretical and practical conference “Russian-Bulgarian Friendship and Cooperation: Traditions, Modernity, Perspectives” was held by Stavropol State University and the Stavropol city administration. During the plenary meeting the issues of historical interaction between Russia and Bulgaria as well as perspectives of friendly relations development between two countries were discussed. In the framework of the conference the on-line communication “Friendship Bridge” was organized between teachers, students and pupils of Stavropol, Sofia and Pazardjik. They discussed perspectives of youth policy development in Russia and Bulgaria and a role of national art in the countries’ life. An interactive dialogue “Russia and Bulgaria’s common cultural past” was held. A collection of scientific articles “Theoretical and Practical conference materials “Russian-Bulgarian Friendship and Cooperation: Traditions, Modernity, Perspectives” was published. Web-forum was created for on-line communication between University students and teachers of Stavropol and Sofia as well as the pupils of the city of Stavropol and Pazardjik’s vocational school named after G.Bregov.

Cooperation in education sphere was one of the guidelines of the twinning relations between Stavropol and Pazardjik in 2009. An exchange of pupils from the vocational school named after G. Bregov and gymnasium ¹ 25 of the city of Stavropol was carried out. An agreement on cooperation was signed by the educational departments’ chiefs. The teachers discussed important issues of educational process organization and development at school. The twin cities’ cultural and historical heritage was introduced to schoolchildren. They took an active part in the holiday events devoted to the Days of the cities and Slavonic Writing and Culture Days. The Russian and Bulgarian pupils performed a holiday programme in a Friendship Concert.

Within the Plan implementation Research and Practice conferences were held at the educational institutions of the city: “Ethnic Culture of the Slavs and Contemporary Life” and “Yermolov’s Readings” as well as thematic class hours and talks devoted to the history of cooperation between Russia and Bulgaria. “130-anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Russia and Bulgaria” presentation-lessons competition was held. Days of Bulgarian Book were held at school libraries. Exhibitions of contemporary Bulgarian writers were opened. “Our countrymen in the Bulgarian side” multimedia show was presented.

The Slavonic Writing and Culture Days have become traditional in Stavropol. In 2009 press contests and quizzes were held, theatrical shows and literary-musical programs were performed commemorating the founders of Slavonic alphabet. A literary holiday “Slavonic Writing Days at Stavropolje” was held. At the city libraries the meetings with the Writers Union members and the Bulgarian poets’ poems interpreters were carried out. The concerts of Cossack groups and children folk groups were performed at institutions of culture.

The city residents had a chance to learn about history, modernity and perspectives of friendly relations with Pazardjik during a work of an exhibition “Stavropol–Pazardjik: twin-cities” from the holdings of the Stavropol State Local History Museum named after G.N.Prozritelev and G.K.Prave which was opened in collaboration with the international and interregional relations department of the Stavropol city administration.

Photo displays and children’s picture show at the Children’s Art School were devoted to the joint action of two countries. Bulgarian pupils from the twin city Pazardjik sent their drawings for “In the friendship network” children’s picture show. A concert-lecture devoted to Bulgarian folk and contemporary music was performed at the children’s music school.

A work was going on with the All-Russian public organization “Bulgaria’s Friends Union” Stavropol section. Social aid was rendered to the low-income members of the organization. Stavropol city residents of Bulgarian origin improved their health in the municipal healthcare institution “Centre for Restorative Medicine and Rehabilitation”. In order to popularize the twin cities’ traditions and customs the Days of Bulgarian Cuisine were held jointly with the “Bulgaria’s Friends Union” members.

The issues of Stavropol and Pazardjik twinning relations development were covered by the regional radio, TV and newspapers “Stavropolskaya Pravda”, “Vecherniy Stavropol”, “Stavropolskaya Molodyozhnaya Gazeta” and school newspapers.

Activities dedicated to the Year of Bulgaria in Russia were important for development of friendly relations between Stavropol and Pazardjik and promoted inter-municipal cooperation.

2. Development of friendly relations with the town of Beziers (French republic)

Beziers is a small town located in the south of France in the Languedoc –Roussillon province, Herault Department, 12 km from the Mediterranean coast. The population of Beziers is about 75 thousand people. The town which was founded in the VII-th century B.C. has a lot of historical monuments testifying to its rich history: antique amphitheatre, Saint Nazaire Cathedral (the first reference in the VIII century), Saint Madeleine Church (XI century), the Southern Channel.

The Beziers industry is presented by private enterprises, working in the sphere of oil extraction and refining, production of aviation component parts and blades for wind power stations.

Favourable changes have taken place in the town lately: housing construction development, opening of new modern commercial centres, an active restoration of ancient centre and renewal of an airport runway. These changes ensure a big inflow of investments

Beziers is called “a capital” of French wine. Great efforts are taken to select and grow new sorts of grape, update technologies introduction of wine production and storage.

Beneficial location of Beziers on the important commercial ways and availability of modern highways connecting southern French cities promote tourism development. Traditional holidays and different festivals are held in the city to attract tourists.

Consistent work is carried out in the field of demographic policy. Lately the town authorities being worried about the population “ageing” have taken efforts to prevent youth departure to large cities and capitals. In Beziers there are 6 colleges, three of them are private, where students get general secondary education, and 5 lyceums (two of them are private). After graduation the students get bachelor’s degree providing a right to enter Institutions of Higher Education.

Nowadays a work on making out a plan of cooperation between our cities for a period 2009-2010 is being fulfilled. Different aspects of cooperation in a social sphere are under consideration.

During the last decade a revival of interest to historical roots is observed. Due to this fact an Oxitan (Languedoc) language previously considered to be dead are actively learnt today as well as national traditions. Nowadays an Oxitan language is included into a list of optional subjects of the secondary and higher schools. The town of Beziers is announced “a capital” of Oxitan language.

In March 2008 Mr. Raymond Couderc was reelected for a post of the Mayor of Beziers for a third period.

Additional information about the town of Beziers you can find on the website: www.ville-beziers.fr

An agreement on establishing twin-cities relations between Stavropol and Beziers was signed in 1981.

The relations between our cities are characterized by certain stability. Close contacts are made at the municipal level. Visits of official delegations are carried out. They are aimed at sharing experience in the field of socio-economic development, acquaintance with the work of municipal services, commercial and catering enterprises.

The representatives of the socio-cultural sphere of the city visited Beziers a lot of times. Health professionals from Stavropol got acquainted with the health service system of the twin-city. The Association “Pharmacists without frontiers” and the Friendship Societies of our cities organized rendering charitable aid to the Stavropol city Hospital ¹4.

Cooperation in the field of education is carried out. Representatives of pre-school institutions participated in the colloquium on pre-school education issues which took place in Beziers. The exchange of the groups of lyceum students from twin-cities was carried out.

The relations in the field of culture and sport are being developed. The painters from Stavropol and Beziers exchanged the exhibitions of their works. National artistic groups and modern musical groups from both cities visited each other. Stavropol Academic Drama Theatre went on tours to Beziers under the active support of the Beziers municipality.

The pupils of children sport schools from Stavropol took part in the International Youth competitions in Beziers and won prizes a lot of times.

Stavropol residents participated in one of the charitable telethons which were held regularly in Beziers. The parcels with handicrafts were sent to our twin-city, cash assets from those items sale were sent to the Fund of people who are ill with myopathy, for rendering aid to invalids, carrying out scientific research and new study of hereditary diseases.

Days of French Culture were held in the city of Stavropol several times. A number of activities were connected with those events: French artists’ paintings from the fund of Stavropol Regional Fine Arts Museum were exhibited; French literature exhibitions were opened in the city libraries as well as the information about friendly relations between Stavropol and Beziers. Within the framework of the Days of French Culture a Week of French cinema and the Days of French cuisine were organized.

Twin cities development relations issues were covered by mass media: regional TV, a newspaper “Evening Stavropol”.

The exchange of information about the most important events in a social, political and cultural life of twin-cities is being carried out systematically.

In 2010 talks were held with the municipality of Beziers on the issue of joint participation in the events dedicated to the Year of France in Russia and the Year of Russia in France.

3. Development of friendly relations with the city of Des Moines (the USA)

A flag of the city

The city of Des Moines is a capital of the State of Iowa (the USA) locating in the central part of the state. The history of the city can be traced to 1834 when it was decided to establish a military post at the point where the Des Moines and Racoon Rivers merge. It was named Fort Des Moines. In 1857 Fort Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines and designated the capital of the State of Iowa. The first half of the XX century saw a considerable increase in building, particularly for roads, bridges and houses. In the second half of the XX century a rapid growth of economy was directed at improving life quality.

Today nearly 200000 people live in Des Moines occupying territory a little more than 200 sq km.

Nowadays Des Moines is recognized as a large business, educational and cultural centre of the USA. The population is employed in the sphere of service, trade, education and culture.

The biggest insurance companies of the country flourish in the city, they provide a wide range of services. Des Moines has gained national recognition as a major insurance centre (the third largest in the world) and a commercial and financial centre of an agricultural region, where largest fairs take place annually. It's an industrial centre producing agricultural machinery, plastic, chemicals and textiles.

Des Moines is an educational and cultural centre of the state. The Greater Des Moines area is a home to some colleges and nine higher educational establishments, the most famous are: Drake University, Des Moines University, American Institute of Business, University of Iowa.

Traditional and modern architecture are mixed and supplements each other. The Iowa State Capitol built in 1886 signifies a prodigious spirit of Iowa. It has been preserved up to now. This magnificent building is one of the nation's finest examples of the 19th century architecture.

From the point of view of modern architectural decisions a two-storeyed Public Library is of great interest. Located on the territory of the city park it represents the idea of inner and outer space confluence being a connecting link between a recreational park zone and a Des Moines business area.

There are a lot of objects of cultural and historical heritage in the city: State Historical Society of Iowa, Living History Farms, Historical museum, Art Centre, a famous Science Centre of Iowa, Ashton Observatory, Salisbury House.

Additional information about the city of Des Moines you can find on the website: www.dmgov.org

The agreement on establishing friendly relations between sister-cities Stavropol and Des Moines aimed at cooperation development in different areas of socio-cultural sphere was signed on the 27th of July 1992.

Within the period of its implementation a lot of attention was focused on sharing local governments experience and cooperation within the framework of “Training programme of the CIS and the USA twin-cities municipal employees”. There was an exchange of official delegations and representatives of twin-cities business groups; the participants learnt the basis and the structure of legislative and executive powers, experience of work in the spheres of municipal economy, transport, housing construction, rendering social services to vulnerable groups of people.

Twin-cities friendly relations have been developing actively during the 90-th years. Stavropol city administration representatives visited Des Moines a lot of times. Within the frameworks of these visits the meetings were held in the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and Industry aimed at strengthening and extending relations between municipalities and representatives of business groups and learning city administration issues.

In compliance with the state Iowa invitation the representatives of Stavropol city Directorate on Civil Defence Affairs and Emergency situations visited Des Moines with the aim of learning the work of the Rescue service, the structure of the National Guard, its tasks on the defence of the Iowa population in emergency situations.

The cooperation in the sphere of education has been developing. The probation of the directors of Stavropol city educational institutions was organized in the city of Des Moines where they could learn the education management structure, principles and ways of school control, a system of search, selection and education of talented youth. In accordance with the Plan of Cooperation between Stavropol and Des Moines the senior pupils of Creative Development and Humanitarian Education Centre “Poisk” were sent for training to Des Moines schools and Drake University.

Within the framework of cultural development Valley High School jazz-orchestra from Des Moines performed its programme in the city of Stavropol. It gave some concerts, the organizers of the orchestra read some lectures and conducted joint rehearsals with Stavropol Musical School students.

In July 2006 a meeting of the mayors of sister-cities Stavropol and Des Moines was held at the Sister-cities International Association Jubilee conference devoted to the 50th anniversary of the organization. It took place in the city of Washington. The participants discussed the perspectives of friendly relations further development.

The exchange of information on the most important events in the life of sister-cities is carried out regularly.

According to the Agreement on cooperation between the city of Stavropol (The Russian Federation) and the city of Des Moines (the USA) and for the purpose of furthering sister cities relations a visit of the Des Moines Sister City Commission representative Vidal Spaine to Stavropol took place in the period from the 29th of June to the 4th of July 2009.

The head of the city of Stavropol Paltsev N.I. gave a welcome to the sister city representative. During the reception the perspectives of furthering sister cities relations in social, economic and humanitarian areas were discussed. The Plan of Cooperation between Sister Cities Stavropol (Russian Federation) and Des Moines (United States of America) for 2009-2012 was signed focusing on interaction in the local self governing sphere, exchange of experience on the cities economy issues and development of humanitarian and cultural relations.

The Program of the visit included visits to the institutions of education and public healthcare as well as to the city enterprises. There was an interested talk with the Education Department executives and pedagogical staff about establishing cooperation between sister cities’ educational institutions. The possibilities of furthering cooperation between sister cities’ sport educational institutions were discussed. The Plan of cooperation between the Stavropol city administration Education Department and Des Moines Public Schools for 2009-2012 was signed aimed at strengthening friendly relations with the educational institutions. The Plan includes the teachers training, students and artistic groups exchanges of the sister cities educational institutions.

The state higher educational institutions’ system of work was introduced to the sister city representative. During the meetings with the rectors of the Stavropol State Agrarian University and Stavropol State University there was a talk about development of cooperation in educational and scientific areas with the universities of Iowa State.

During the visit much attention was paid to the work of healthcare institutions of the city. The guidelines of cooperation in a health field were determined.

The possibility of establishing business contacts between sister-cities’ enterprises were explored with the top executives.

In the second half of 2009 a special attention was paid to implementation of the signed Plan in the field of humanitarian and cultural cooperation, particularly, in the sphere of education. Friendly relations were established between educational institutions of the city of Stavropol (municipal educational institutions secondary schools ¹ 1,7,42, gymnasium ¹ 24) and Des Moines schools (Stowe Elementary, Hubbell Elementary, Walnut Street Elementary, Goodrell Middle School). A regular exchange of informational materials between the above mentioned educational institutions is carried out. An agreement was reached on holding on-line conferences by means ICQ and Skype-programs. At the present time the issues of students and teachers exchanges between educational institutions are being worked out.

In January-February 2010 a coordinative work was carried out on implementation of the Plan of Cooperation between Sister Cities Stavropol (Russian Federation) and Des Moines (United States of America) in education area. Direct contacts were established between Stavropol state university and Drake University. The proposals were put forward for arrangement Stavropol city administration official delegation visit to Des Moines.