A delegation of 18 Russian youth and 3 coaches completed their March 26-April 8 visit to Washington, DC and New York, an exchange made possible States by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) SportsUnited Office, Russia’s Ministry of Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policy, and the National Hockey League (NHL). The youth had the opportunity to meet with hockey legend Viacheslav Fetisov, who attended a New Jersey Devils game with the delegation and introduced them to hockey star Ilya Kovalchuk. In New York, the group visited NHL Headquarters and met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. While in Washington, DC the delegation met with Assistant Secretary Ann Stock and Minister Counselor for the Russian Embassy, Giorgiy Borisenko, before hitting the ice with the Northern Virginia Ice Dogs. They also played with the Washington Pride, a local young women’s hockey team, and participated in a sled hockey clinic for disabled youth and war veterans.
Watch an interview with some of the students here.
See photos on Facebook.
