Press Releases

For Immediate Release
October 9, 2008

For more information, contact
Nicholas Mascari
(585) 395-2754
nmascari@brockport.edu

Russian Diplomat/Rights Activist Visits The College at Brockport

(l-r) Asya Ryazantseva, Galina Matveeva, President Halstead, Kathy Halstead, Barbara LeSavoy

Brockport, NY – Galina Matveeva, ombudsman for human rights in Novgorod, Russia and former vice governor of the Novgorod province, visited The College at Brockport campus as part of her two-week trip here to foster ties between her hometown of Novgorod, and Rochester.

She met with President Halstead, on Thursday, before leaving for Seneca Falls, NY to participate in the Women and Leadership Conference, Oct 11 &12. The two briefly discussed education opportunities that may benefit students in Brockport and Novgorod. The College at Brockport currently has a summer study abroad and an internship program at Novgorod State University.

Matveeva has been leader in the Novgorod regional government since 1985. Since 2004 she has been Novgorod’s coordinator of demographic policy, human rights and public organizations. In 2005 she was appointed as ombudsman of human rights of the Novgorod region.

She was accompanied by Asya Ryazantseva, administrative coordinator of the Women in Business Partnership of Novgorod, who served as interpreter for Matveeva.

The regional visit is sponsored by Linkages of Rochester, Inc. an all-volunteer organization whose mission it is to increase the understanding of the people, politics, and culture of Russia, with a focus on people-to-people relations between Rochester and Novgorod.

College at Brockport faculty member Barbara LeSavoy PhD, chair of the Department of Women and Gender Studies, is a member of the organization and was instrumental in planning Matveeva’s visit.

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