The sun broke through after a week of rain to shine on the dedication of The Albany-Tula Sculpture, a steel globe commissioned from area sculptor, Steve Kroeger. The globe, featuring a prominent bridge connecting the Capital Region and Tula, Russia, was the focal point of a ceremony hosted by Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings. Joining him in addressing the public gathering and news cameras were Chair of the Alliance Gerald Shaye, guests from Tula State University and the Lev Tolstoy Tula State Pedagogical Institute, as well as Albany County Executive Mike Breslin, Congressman Paul Tonko and Assemblyman Jack McEneny. Founding Alliance Chair Charlotte Buchanan dedicated the sculpture by placing a flourish of roses on the bridge. Richard Miller, Esq., accompanied by Findlay Cockrell, sang both the US and Russian national anthems and concluded the ceremony with a rousing “Getting to Know You.”
Barbara Jancar-Webster presented certificates to the winners of this year’s Education and Culture essay and Russian Studies Olympiad contests. The winners will travel to Tula in September with a chaperone from the Alliance.
