The inaugural Russian-American Innovation Technology Week of 2003 was remarkable success. The event brought over 200 technology companies from Russia and the Newly Independent States to Philadelphia and made evident the potential for tremendous growth of this undertaking. We welcome the decision of the Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Council to expand this event to a semi-annual basis beginning in 2005. As a result, it will now include even greater numbers of seminars, panel discussions, round-table meetings, trade shows, conferences, and networking events designed to establish partnerships and cooperation between Russian and American business and technology communities.
The city of Philadelphia is delighted to host delegations representing the leading Russian technology companies as they participate in the various technology events of the Russian-American Innovation Technology Week, including major conferences and exhibitions throughout the region.
We congratulate the Mid-Atlantic - Russian Business Council as it celebrates its tenth anniversary with this significant achievement, and hope that such initiatives will ultimately help to establish the Mid-Atlantic Region as a major partner for Russian technology companies and a premier center of Russian-American technology cooperation.
THEREFORE...
I, John F. Street, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, do hereby proclaim the last two weeks of June and second and third week of November in Philadelphia as
Semi-Annual Russian-American Innovation Technology Weeks
and extend a warm welcome to all participants of the Council's Semi-Annual Weeks, with best wishes for a successful partnership filled with innovation, ideas and exploration as we move into the 21st century together.
