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For Immediate Release

Kyiv, Ukraine –Ukrainian delegates will arrive in the United States October 14 to participate in the Open World Program, managed by the independent Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress. Open World is the first international exchange program in the Legislative Branch and is governed by a Board of Trustees including Members of Congress and private citizens.

The Ukrainian participants are organized into nine delegations, focusing on Civic Rule of Law and Accountable Governance. These delegations will have a two day orientation in the Library of Congress at which they will participate in a roundtable called Ukraine’s Quest for Mature Nation Statehood/Roundtable IX: “Ukraine's Regional Commitments” See agenda: http://www.usukrainianrelations.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=166&Itemid=116

This visit is designed to enhance the delegates’ professional capabilities to make an impact in his/her chosen field of expertise, and to assist Ukraine in the development of a vibrant civil society through strong, independent, and self-sustaining non-governmental organizations at the grassroots and national levels.

The delegates will spend their first two days in Washington, D.C. attending an orientation session. They will then depart for eight-day intensive professional programs in host cities throughout the country. Host cities: Fayetteville, AR, Atlanta, GA, Prairie Village, KS, Wichita, KS, Omaha, NE, Orange, NJ, Columbus, OH, and Rochester, NY.

Open World has introduced more than 13,500 current and future decision makers from Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union to American political and civic life, and to their American counterparts. In addition to Ukraine, Open World also operates dynamic programs in Russia and has expanded to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Tajikistan.

For more background on Open World, please visithttp://www.openworld.gov