In February, an evaluation team, comprised of FNE Far East Affiliate Office staff and led by the New Eurasia Foundation (FNE) Evaluation Department conducted a needs assessment for the Program "Dialog". The Program is being administrated by IREX and aims at strengthening civil society in Russia. To ensure that the intervention will meet the specific needs of local communities and civic organizations working in the Russian Far East, IREX consucted a tender and selected the FNE team to undertake this evaluation project. The main goal of the evaluation is to assess the current status and needs of civil society organizations (SCOs) in the Russian Far East, specifically those that provide social services and are involved in developing social policies. Based on the findings, the FNE evaluation team will provide IREX with specific recommendations for developing the Program's implementation strategy that will address the specific needs of SCOs and strengthen their role in policy-making. The assessment focused on six regions: Amurskaya Oblast, Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsky Krai, Republic of Yakutia, and also Republic of Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast.

On February 15-17 2006, The Vladivostok State University of Economics and Services - grantee of the Vladivostok Representative Office of the Eurasia Foundation - hosted a Cross-Regional Scientific and Practical Conference "Experience of the University Graduates' Employment in the Russian Far East". This event convened Russian Far East (RFE) educational institutions, prospective employers and career agencies to review the experience of the RFE university career centers and to suggest a plan for developing the RFE Information Exchange Network that was created to disseminate best practices and promote partnerships among organizations operating in the educational and labor markets.
Additionally, the conference summarized the benefits of the 18-month program entitled "The Preservation of Intellectual Resources and the More Effective Usage of Labor Resources in the Russian Far East" (October 2004 - March 2006). This initiative was supported by a Ford Foundation grant and implemented by the Eurasia Foundation. Its principal focus was to increase a cross-regional mobility of labor resources and stimulate their effective distribution in three program target regions: Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai and Amur Oblast.

From February 7 to 14, Megan L. Hall, Reports Officer from the United States Department of State, Office of Monitor & Combat Trafficking in Persons traveled to Vladivostok and Khabarovsk to learn more about how non-governmental organizations and local government are working to combat human trafficking in the region.
During Vladivostok visit Ms. Hall met with, attended and spoke at John Mark Pommersheim, Consul General, Experts of Strategic Research Center, “Doverie” Psychological Support Educational Center, Representatives of Crime Prosecutor Office, MFA Representative Office, Deputy of Primorskiy Krai Duma, Vice-Governor, Deputy Ombudsman, Round table with NGOs.
She was joined on her visit to Khabarovsk by Randall Houston, the Political Economics Officer for the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, Victoria Butyleva, Political Economic Assistant, Alla Muravieva, Project Specialist from USAID in Moscow, Svetlana Vasina, Regional Initiative Coordinator for the Russian Far East, U.S. Department of State, and Mike Johannes, Chief of Party for the Path to Success! program.
She attended a presentation of the Path to Success! program. During this event, Megan learned how this USAID sponsored anti-trafficking project administered by Winrock International has been working over the past three years to prepare empowered, gender sensitive youth who are informed about the risks of trafficking, able to make positive life choices and possess the skills needed to find local jobs.
Following this presentation, Ms. Hall participated in a roundtable with the Khabarovsk NGO partners of Path to Success!. She also met with Andrei Kuznetsov, Chief of the Ministry of Interior for the Khabarovsk Territory Headquarters Forensic Center who hopes to work with local NGOs in order find solutions to the problem of human trafficking and is willing to participate in any number of cooperative events.
During her stay in Khabarovsk Ms. Hall met with alumni of the U.S. Government sponsored Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), young people developed a seminar on human trafficking for youth at a local technical college in December as part of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” campaign.
She also attended a class entitled: “The Myths and Realities of Working Abroad”, participated in a meeting with the main office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Russian Far East and learned how cooperation among nations in combating international crimes such as human trafficking, the drug trade, raw materials, and terrorism is making a real impact. At the end of her visit she had a meeting at the American Corner.
Ms. Hall was extremely pleased by the level of interest in the problem and believes that the RFE is on the right track to developing systems to combat trafficking.

During the month of February, Partnership staff organized two roundtables of partnership participants: one in Vladivostok, and one in Khabarovsk. The purpose of the roundtables is to strengthen professional networks in the region; to disseminate the results of partner projects and further promote best practices; to inform local officials and the media about progress being made under the Partnership Activity and the NGO community more broadly; to share program information with other U.S. technical assistance programs operating in the RFE; and finally as an ongoing monitoring tool of partner projects.On February 9, the roundtable in Vladivostok was held at Far Eastern National University. Partners from Rounds 4 and 5 were joined by representatives of municipal and regional government, the city council, Public Chamber and mass media. The Khabarovsk roundtable was held February 13 at the Center for Family Medicine. Partners were joined by officials from the Khabarovsk City Administration and a representative of the Regional Initiative. Both meetings provided an opportunity to inform the community about the current activity of partnership projects and to share ideas on post project plans.

On February 8 in Bolshoy Kamen city, Primorskiy Kray the opening ceremony of Information Center on Communicable Disease Prevention and Youth Healthcare was held under the “US-RFE Partnership Program”, FRAEC. This  project is supported by the City  Department of Education and the Department of Youth. The new center is located in one of the high schools of Bolshoy Kamen city. The opening ceremony of the Center was conducted in the interactive form. All participants took part in discussions about the activity and future plans of the Center. Alexander Evseev from the City Educational Department stressed the importance of using a peer-to-peer educational model as it worked as the most effective tool to educate young people in communicable disease prevention. RI RFE Coordinator participated in that event and presented remarks entitled “Ongoing USG activities on RFE"

In the framework of the US-RFE Partnership  Program, Round 5, project “Development of Municipal Strategic Planning Tools for the City of Artem, Primorsky Krai” on the basis of the city administration there was held the seminar “The Strategic Plan of Artem City Development”. The main aim of the plan was determined as increasing living standard of Artem people. The seminar lasted two days, February 6 and 7. RI RFE Coordinator and managers from ‘U.S – RFE Partnership program’ visited the seminar on the second day and saw a presentation of small groups work results. All participants of the seminar administrative officials, city specialists, business directors, members of Association of Miner’s Cities, Artem citizens were divided into four groups in accordance with the main parts of the strategic plan: Economics and Business; Social Issues; Land-use and Municipal Housing Economy. Each group gathered 15-17 people and municipal specialist were among them: Oleg A.Khoroshun, vice-mayor on economical issues; S.Pischun, vice-mayor on land-use; Vladimir N.Savchenko, first deputy city head; Irina Y.Ilioukhina, vice-mayor on social issues and others. Each group took 15 minutes to present their ideas on how to develop their part of the strategic plan. The seminar was covered by local mass media and TV. The seminar was conducted by Alexander V.Cherny, general director of Association of Miner’s Cities. Specialists of Far East Center of Economic Development, a project partner, worked as consultants in the four groups. They gathered the ideas of groups to include them into the strategic plan. After the presentation Irina Y.Ilioukhina , vice-mayor on social issues gave some general information about Artem. The population of Artem is 110 000 people.

40 % are economically active. Mean age is 37. Before Artem was called the city of miners’, today it’s a city of young people. Presently Artem is one of economic leaders in Primorsky Krai. At the meeting Irina said that the Partnership project is very important for Artem. The city needs a well-developed strategic plan. Irina can see in Artem all necessary resources and conditions for economical development, but there is no a strategic plan as a main tool of city development. She believes the project will give the city such a plan.
This project was awarded in Round 5 under the Municipal Practices Partnerships which means a participating municipality in implementing the project.