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The honorable Kozim Tulyaganov, Mayor of the City of Tashkent, led a delegation to Seattle in June. The delegation's visit began with an early morning arrival and later in the day attendance at Seattle Mariners game. At the game, the Mariners announced the delegation, and noted the 25th anniversary of the Sister City relationship. Joining the Mayor were Uzbekistan's Ambassador to the U.S., Sodyq Safaev, Mr. Saidhor Gulaymov, the Rector of Tashkent State Economic University, Mr. Renat Trigulov, a Director with the Chkalov Aviation Plant, Erkin Ernazarov, Deputy Mayor of the City of Tashkent, and Shavkat Alimhodjaev, special assistant to the Mayor. Consul General Hasan Ikromov and Ismatullah Faizullaev, of the Uzbek Embassy in Washington , D.C. also joined the delegation. During the delegation's visit, they met with Mayor Paul Schell, visited Boeing's Everett plant, Microsoft, THe Trade Development Alliance. The delegation was also hosted to lunch at the Tower Club by City Council member Jan Drago. Mayor Tulyaganov's delegation joined Mayor Scheell and the STSCA in celebrating 25 years of the Seattle-Tashkent relationship. The celebration included Uzbek dance, music by tatives of Tashkent and Seattle, and an exchange of gifts. Mayor Tulyaganov presented Mayor Schell with a beautiful Uzbek coat, and Mayor Schell presented Mayor Tulyaganov with Dale Chihuly's art work from the Pilchuk Gallery collection. STSCA truly enjoyed the opportunity to host Mayor Tulyaganov, and looks forward to his next visit. We hope it will be soon. The second (almost annual) Akhror Rakhmedov Benefit Auction was held March 6, 1999 at the Russian Community Center on Seattle's Capitol Hill and was a smashing success, raising over $16,000. Mimi Gan, Evening Magazine reporter for KING 5 TV was the Emcee for the evening and did a spectacular job of getting people enthusiastic about both the silent and live auctions. Over 100 guests joined the STSCA Board for the evening, which in addition to the auction events included a phenomenal dinner prepared by the Kaleenka Restaurant, and live entertainment provided by none other than STSCA's own Bob Ness, joined by Masha Reichart. All would probably agree however that the highlight of the evening was the heartfelt speech of thanks and appreciation prepared and read (in part) in his own voice !!! by Akhror. Mark Ufkes, making a second appearance as the auctioneer for the live auction did a fine job in convincing folks to dig a little deeper in their pockets and bid a little higher in support of Akhror and his remarkable journey of rehabilitation here in Seattle. Spirited bidding wars took place over unique and collectible items including 2 pieces of Chihuly glassware (obtained from the Pilchuck Glass School by Bob Ness), a day of mushroom hunting which included an on site gourmet lunch out in the woods (obtained by Joanne Young), beautifully carved wooden screens from Indonesia (donated by Helen and Peter Lauritzen) and a vibrant Khazak wool carpet (donated by Mark and Lois Ufkes). There must also still be a few folks out there who are wishing they had gotten in on that Geiger counter frenzy bid! A delicious dinner including samsa, salad, plov and mouthwatering desserts was prepared and served and DONATED IN FULL by Lydia Barrett and the Kaleenka staff. They deserve an extra round of thank yous for the great food and the incredibly generous contribution that they made to help make this auction such a success. Many thanks also to the auction committee (you know who you are) and all the others who donated their time, energy, enthusiasm and monetary support to help make the auction successful beyond our wildest dreams. We note with sadness the passing of Lynne M. Cleland, a long-time board member, association secretary, supporter and friend, who died April 18, 1999, following a short illness. Gifts in Lynne's memory may be made to the Learning Disabilities Association of Washington. As I begin another term as President of the STSCA, my thoughts are very much focused upon the changes under way in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. This time of transition for the nations of that region brings new opportunities to expand on our historic relationship. I want to share a few of my thoughts on our past and our future. In June, 1998, we were honored to host Mayor Kozim Tulyaganov and his delegation, in celebration of the silver anniversary of the Seattle-Tashkent relationship. This visit was the first by a Tashkent Mayor in a decade. Mayor Tulyaganov has invited Mayor Schell to Tashkent. If Mayor Schell is able to accept the invitation, it will be the first time in a decade that a Seattle mayor will visit Tashkent. Visits such as these are significant to the growth of our relationship. In November,1998, we were honored to host Ambassador Sodyq Safaev and a delegation which included his colleague, Ambassador Abdrissaev of Kyrgystan. Executive directors of the American Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and of the North American Kyrgyz Business Council also were part of the delegation. Development of economic zones which span international borders was a focus of the visit. One of the challenges we are addressing is how to expand our reach with partners which will enhance our ability to contribute to Uzbekistan's future. We have begun to approach this through several avenues. Here in Seattle, and throughout the economic region we call "Cascadia"(Vancouver BC to the Willamette Valley in Oregon), we are accustomed to economic, trade and environmental issues developed as much by economic boundaries as political ones. The North American Free Trade Act is significant in the development of our economic zone. The development of a market economies will impact Central Asia as it too emerges as a economic zone. A year ago, the STSCA began an effort to broaden our scope of activities. The full range of activities over the past year is part of this newsletter, and I encourage you to take a few minutes to look at it. While we are focused on our traditional exchange programs, we are also working on partnerships which will enable us to grow in additional directions. Gary Furlong I thought you readers would like to know that our help to Akhror and Murad earned us the "Project of the Year Award," presented to the STSCA by a jury from the World Affairs Council, American Cultural Exchange, World Trade Development Council and other organizations. To recapitulate where things are and where they have been: In September 1996 Akhror went in for his first surgery. Some bone reconstruction was done and a large flap of skin on his face was used to line his mouth. Another surgery was done in October at which time a balloon was inserted to create extra skin to fashion for his nose. In January a 20-hour surgery was undertaken. After five more surgeries, he now needs some surgical revisions, speech therapy and dental work. Akhror writes excellent English so we are eager to hear him speak it! Meanwhile Murad has settled into his new program. He has seen much of the American medical establishment beyond surgery and is doing research at Harborview on burn healing. His wife has mastered English without formal training, his son has advanced from the first grade to the second after being a first-grader for only a few months and knowing no English; his daughter, 3 in August, will grow into speech knowing English as her first language. The benefit of this kind of project has had an immeasurable effect on the morale and interest of the association. In recent years it has been harder to relate directly to Tashkent. This gave us a very tangible thing to do that was local. The board and many others have stepped forward over and over again to be with Ahror after surgeries so he has never gone through this period alone. Many community citizens have taken him places and shown him the sites. He was given special recognition by the Sonics at a game. A hair salon on Mercer Island is raising money. Beyond those people touched so directly by our evolving project, some doctors from "Healing The Children" were accompanied by Murad and later Paula Quigley this Spring to see what was needed in Tashkent and Uzbekistan. While in Tashkent they chose four children to bring over for surgery and went to Nukus in Karalkapakstan this Spring to perform cleft lip and cleff palate surgery on children there. Murad will stay in Seattle until at least November of 1999. Akhror is able to learn some computer skills while he is recovering, having dental work, and speech therapy. He would like to finish school and work with medical issues. We have a visa extension pending for him. To date we have a little less than half of the money needed for Akhror, Murat and his family. Major donors, a special bank account at Seafirst, two auctions, and the hair salon's donations are some of the ways we have raised money. In December of last year Joyce Doan was honored with the Hero's Award in the Medical area along with Dr. Gruss by The American Red Cross of King County. Akhror has visited the eighth-graders several times at St. Lukes. In March 3rd of 1998 Evening Magazine did a story about Akhror and they did a follow-up about a year later. In the Spring an anonymous donor brought Akhror's father from Uzbekistan for a month. A friend's mother invited him to Los Angeles for a week this Spring. The impact on the sister cities program has been incalculable, giving the group an on-going sense of purpose in what can be done locally as well as the needs in Uzbekistan. More is being planned with NWMTI in getting medical supplies to Murat's hospital and others. Murat hopes that he can pass on up-to-date plastic techniques when he has completed his training. We can never know the impact of all this on Akhror's life, but it is vastly improved since the day he awoke with no face below his eyes. In his words after surgery he "would like to go to the top of Mt. Rainier and cry with all my voice 'Thank God for healing and loving me.'" Uzbekistan's Ambassador to the United States, Sodyq Safaev, led delegation to Washington State during November, 1998. The delegation included Ambassador Abdrissaev, Kyrgyz Ambassador to the United States, Robert Pace, Executive Director of the American Uzbekistan chamber of Commerce, and Anne Pendleton, Executive Director of the North American Kyrgyz Business Council. STSCA President Gary Furlong and Board member Bob Ness also accompanied joined the delegation. The delegations's work focused on agricultural issues and trade. Two days were spent in eastern Washington, where the delegation visited wheat farms, an apple processing and packaging plant, the Tree Top company's Wenatchee operation, and Rocky Reach Dam on the Columbia River. There are many similarities between eastern Washington and Central Asia. Climate and weather, growing conditions, geology, agricultural similarities and hydro electric potential, were compared in considering possibilities for cooperation The delegation's agricultural program was organized by graduates of the Agricultural and Forestry Foundation's leadership training program. Many of the meetings and tours included graduates who had been to Central Asia as part of the foundations's program. The delegation was hosted for brunch by Janet Brown, Executive Director of the Green River Community College Education & Training Center, at her beautiful home in Roslyn. The Education and Training Center provides instruction for a wide variety of companies, many of which are active in Central Asia and the CIS. Grant County Commissioner elect Deborah Moore and her husband began the agriculture portion of the visit by hosting the delegation in their home. The Grant County Extension Agent presented an overview of how the Washington State University Extension program assists farmers in agricultural development. Community leaders from Chelan and Douglas Counties hosted the delegation for dinner at the Wenatchee County club on Sunday evening. Ambassador Abdrissaev noted the striking similarities between Kyrgystan and central Washington. At Rocky Reach dam, he commented that the surrounding countryside looked "just like Kyrgystan near the Chinese border. Wenatchee Mayor Earl Tilley hosted the delegation for lunch on Monday afternoon, shortly before the Ambassadors addressed the Agriculture and Forestry Foundation's current leadership training class. Tuesday morning the delegation met with business leaders at the Trade Development Alliance in Seattle. The room was packed for the meeting, where the delegation made brief presentations, followed by a question and answer session. The delegation then met with Mayor Paul Schell, where the Mayor presented the book "Cascadia". The book is about the international economic zone which runs from British Columbia, Canada to Oregon. Following the meeting with Mayor Schell, the delegation toured the Boeing Renton plant, where the 757 and 737 airplanes are made. The Seattle -Tashkent Sister City Association is honored to have been part of Ambassador Safaev's program to work with others in fostering economic cooperation between the United States, Uzbekistan and the nations of Central Asia. We look forward to his next visit. Au Courant, a salon on Mercer Island, has raised $1600 toward the medical expenses of Akhror Rakhmedov. This small business selected Akhror's situation as a project after hearing about it from one of their clients on the sister city committee board and seeing a KING TV Evening Magazine program featuring Akhror. The business created a large display in their front entry describing Akhror's experience and the need for donations. Hair stylists saved tips and gave directly from their savings. patrons and employees participated over a period of several months. An account was set up at Washington Mutual bank to receive funds. Pam Crouch and Ray Noble, owners of the business, encourage their employees to be active in community affairs and they sponsor several service projects each year. Esterh Gothelf coordinated the project, and Vui Tran, one fo the stylists, cut Akhror's hair without charge and champioined their taking on the project. All employees participated. The Sister City Assn. values being part of a community of generous individuals and organizations. Many thanks to the folks at Au Courant!!!! Last Update: 2 November 2005 Logo courtesy Mamoun Sakkal |
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