National Forum Foundation greets fellows from Ukraine

WASHINGTON - The president of the National Forum Foundation (NFF), Jim Denton, welcomed invited guests and visiting fellows from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine on January 27 during an evening reception held at the foundation.

On the occasion of the visiting fellows' arrival and as part of NFF's Central Eastern Europe (CEE) Internship Program, guests were able to meet with government officials, diplomats, influential policymakers and leaders of ethnic organizations.

In January 1990, the NFF launched the CEE Internship Program to promote regional democratic transition. In its first year alone, nearly 50 of Central Europe's new leaders participated in this three-month program. In the summer of 1992, NFF expanded its Visiting Fellow Program to include Albania, Russia and Ukraine.

Today, through a highly competitive process, nearly 200 of Eastern Europe's most promising individuals have participated as NFF visiting fellows in the United States.

Two visiting fellows, Olga Herasymiuk and Vladymir Machukha, from Ukraine, have been selected to learn the political and economic processes of America. Ms. Herasymiuk is the deputy editor of a new Ukrainian daily, Respublika, and holds a master's degree in journalism from Kyyiv State University. She will be interning at U.S. News & World Report and Gannett News Service. Ms. Machukha is the director of business development at the Research Institute of Socio-Economic Problems in Kyyiv. He earned a Ph.D. in economics from the Kyyiv Institute of State Economy and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Moscow State University. He will be interning at Kulas and Kulas in Chicago and Marvin Poer and Co., a consulting firm in Alexandria, Va.

In addition to the CEE Internship Program, the NFF conducts a "Democracy Corps"-style initiative project, titled the American Volunteers For International Development (AVID) Program. AVID began in November 1991 with Vaclav Havel as chairman. AVID places U.S. volunteers throughout Central and Eastern Europe to work side-by-side with their counterparts in government, business and journalism. This program aims to galvanize both sides to work together and facilitate the transfer of "how to" information and managerial expertise.

Ian Brzezinski, member of the Policy Planning Staff in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is assigned to Ukraine. He will work for the International Institute on Global and Regional Security in Kyyiv and will serve as an aide to U.S. Gen. Nicholas Krawciw. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a graduate of the Fort Benning Airborne School and Officer Candidate School.

AVID volunteers must have two years of work experience in media management, governance, or business management (with an emphasis on financial and strategic planning). NFF provides most of the volunteer's transportation and housing costs, as well as a living expense stipend based on local standards.

Interested applicants may contact Orysia Pylyshenko, AVID program director, at (202) 543-3515.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 7, 1993, No. 6, Vol. LXI

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