Lawrence University will host a series of events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Fox Cities-Kurgan, Russia Sister Cities Program Nov. 4-5. All events are free and open to the public.
The 30-member University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra performs Thursday, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre of the Music-Drama Center. The orchestra performs with traditional Russian instruments, including the bayan, balalaika and the domra.
Three presentations will be conducted Friday morning, Nov. 5 in the Warch Campus Center.
Long-time Lawrence administrator Chuck Lauter, one of the founders and former president of the Fox Cities-Kurgan Sister Cities program, and is wife, Estella, share stories of Russia and her people in the presentation “Reflecting on Past Years of Friendship” at 9 a.m. Chuck Lauter spent 31 years at Lawrence as dean of students, dean of off-campus programs and international student advisor, before retiring in 2000. He has led numerous trips to Kurgan.
Two faculty members of Kurgan State University, Larisa Zhirova, senior lecturer of English and Natalya Bochegova, dean of the philological department, present “Perspectives on Change” at 10:30 a.m.
A panel discussion and audience question-and-answer session featuring Zhirova, Bochegova, Kurgan city councilman and head of the Kurgan Small Business Development organization Ivan Kamshilov and journalist Elena Ovchinnikova, chairwoman of the Kurgan Journalism Union, will be conducted at 11:15 a.m.
