Dear Executive:

On the behalf of the Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council (MARBC), I am delighted to invite you to the Welcoming Reception and Roundtable Discussion being held for the Russian Mayors’ Delegation at the Mayor's Reception Room of the Philadelphia City Hall in Fall 2010. Consisting of more than 30 mayors, local government officials and businesspeople from 10 regions across Russia, this Russian Mayors’ Delegation will set the stage for enhanced cooperation and regional development between the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region and the represented regions of Russia. As a part of the reception, business, government and community leaders will be giving speeches during a roundtable discussion with the delegation.

The establishment of Pennsylvania’s Authorized Trade Representative in Moscow, which is the first of its kind by any U.S. state, signifies that enhancing Pennsylvania-Russia bilateral trade and investment ties truly is a priority area for the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development in the coming years. Building upon the success of the last landmark Russian mayoral delegation, MARBC will again be hosting a remarkably distinguished delegation of prominent policy and decision makers from various regions throughout the Russian Federation in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The changing business climate in Russia has created new opportunities for business cooperation. Successful performances by many U.S. and other foreign companies on the Russian market demonstrate the enormous potential for future U.S.-Russia business relations. Marking the MARBC’s upcoming fifteen-year anniversary and more than ten years of our successful program in promoting regional cooperation, this will be a splendid opportunity for you to support the productive development of these tremendously beneficial and prosperous opportunities while also further strengthening commercial ties between the Mid-Atlantic region and Russia.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at: (484) 467 - 7444. I look forward to your participation and our future cooperation.

Sincerely,

Val Kogan
President of the Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Council

The Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council cordially invites you to

The Welcoming Reception and a Roundtable
For the Russian Mayors’ Delegation

Fall 2010

Mayor’s Reception Room at Philadelphia City Hall
Broad and Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Following the success of the previous year’s landmark delegation, the Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council (MARBC) is pleased to announce that it will again be hosting a delegation of mayors and local government officials from the Russian Federation in Philadelphia and Mid-Atlantic region in Fall 2010. MARBC is hosting this remarkably distinguished delegation of prominent policy and decision makers from throughout Russia as part of MARBC’s efforts to develop regional cooperation between vast regions in Russia and the Mid-Atlantic States. A key event of the Russian Mayors' Delegation’s visit to the United States will be the welcoming ceremony and roundtable at the Mayor's Reception Room of the Philadelphia City Hall. Delegation discussions will cover some of the most pressing issues for Russian-American business relations.

The changing environment in Russia has not only created new opportunities for business cooperation, but has also made the business climate in the country more favorable. Successful performances by many U.S. and other foreign companies on the Russian market demonstrate the enormous potential for future U.S.-Russia business relations. In support of the productive development of these tremendously beneficial and prosperous opportunities, in 2008 Pennsylvania became the first U.S. state to open a trade office in Russia. Marking more than ten years of successes of the Mid-Atlantic – Russia Business Council program promoting regional cooperation and the MARBC’s fifteen-year anniversary, this mayoral delegation will set the stage for enhanced cooperation and regional development between the Mid-Atlantic region and the represented regions of Russia.

Consisting of more than 30 local government officials and businessmen, including mayors and heads of administration representing more than 10 cities and regions across Russia, the previous delegation was the largest delegation of high profile Russian executives in the Mid-Atlantic region. While in Philadelphia, MARBC organized a welcoming reception for the delegation at Philadelphia City Hall, which was followed by a roundtable discussion on regional cooperation and sustainable development issues. After welcoming remarks, the Mayor’s Secretary for External Affairs and the First Deputy Director of Commerce of Philadelphia presented members of the Russian delegation with miniature Liberty Bells. The keynote speech by the Russian delegation was made by Sergey Paramonov, Executive Vice-President of the Russian Twin Cities International Association, who later presented medals to the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The American speakers included officials from the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and other Mid-Atlantic states. The delegation activities included touring the Science Center, the largest and oldest urban technology park in the U.S., as well as visiting an exhibit on the interactions between Benjamin Franklin, the first American member of the Russia Academy of Sciences, and Ekaterina Dashkova, a Russian intellectual counterpart whom Franklin nominated to be the first female and the first Russian member of the American Philosophical Society.

Complimentary invitations have been extended to members of the MARBC and supporting organizations, government officials, U.S. and state legislators, and guests of the City of Philadelphia. Subject to space availability, additional invitations may be provided to corporate executives, trade association leaders and those in academia interested in U.S.-Russian trade and investment. If you are interested in attending, please submit your request for a complimentary invitation to: rsvp@ma-rbc.org.

For further information contact Val Kogan, Mid-Atlantic-Russia Business Council, by phone: (215) 708-2628, or email: val@ma-rbc.org, or visit the MARBC website at: http://www.ma-rbc.org

Russian Mayors’ Delegation in U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region

Itinerary
Fall 2010

Monday, Philadelphia
Welcoming Reception in Philadelphia City Hall
Official opening of the Russian-American Innovation Technology Week (RANIT)
Russian-American Round Table and Conference in Philadelphia City Hall
The 6th Biannual Mid-Atlantic - Russia Business Opportunities Symposium
Meeting with Philadelphia Mayor
Meeting with the Pennsylvania State officials
Meeting with leaders and members of Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities
Meeting with the Sister Cities representatives
Participation in BIOTECH 2010 trade show and conference, organized by the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Biotechnology Associations
Meeting with the Executive of the United States Industry Coalition in the Pyramid Club

Tuesday, Philadelphia – New York — Philadelphia
A trip to New York City
Meeting with leaders of New York City Economic Development Corporation
Participation in the chemical industry trade show and conference
Participation in the Day of American Institute of Chemical Engineers
New York City tour
A return trip to Philadelphia

Wednesday, Philadelphia – Wilmington – Philadelphia
Visit of ITEC Conference and Expo (Valley Forge Convention Center)
Participation in the business section of ITEC Expo
Russian Conference at ITEC
Russian-American Technology Entrepreneurship Conference
Meeting with the Chester County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director and Chester County leaders
A trip to Wilmington, DE
Meeting with Delaware State representatives and Delaware Cities and Municipalities representatives

Thursday, Philadelphia
A visit to the oldest and biggest urban American technology park, located in Philadelphia
Roundtable on the impact of technology parks on regional development
Meeting with city and regional development experts about sustainable regional development
“Promoting Russian technologies on the American Scientific and Industrial Markets” roundtable in the Philadelphia City technology park
Seminar with the Venture Capitalists of the Mid-Atlantic Region
Conclusion of the Russian-American Technology Entrepreneurship Conference in University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School.
Participation in the American Chemical Foundation Annual Event

Friday, Philadelphia – Baltimore – Atlantic City - Philadelphia
A trip to Baltimore, MD
A meeting with Maryland State officials in Baltimore
Conclusion of the Russian-American Innovation Technology Week
A tour of Atlantic City, NJ
Return to Philadelphia

For further information contact Val Kogan, Mid-Atlantic-Russia Business Council, by phone: (215) 708-2628, or email: val@ma-rbc.org, or visit the MARBC website at: http://www.ma-rbc.org