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Pittsburgh is an ideal place for a program devoted to the study of Russia and Eastern Europe. In the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, one of every four people is either an immigrant or the child of one; of those, one in three have roots in East/Central Europe or the former Soviet Union. This rich local heritage provides for regular contacts with the region's history, culture, and languages. It also offers a support system through organizations such as the community-based committees of the Nationality Rooms in the Cathedral of Learning. Nine of the 27 room committees link the University to peoples and cultures of the REES area.
The center's joint activities with the many local ethnic organizations range from annual cultural heritage festivals, to student programs, to targeted professional development and technical assistance. Organizations such as the Slovak Foundation, the Kosciuszko Foundation, the Croatian Fraternal Union, the Serbian National Federation, the Ukrainian Technological Society, and the Ukrainian Cultural and Humanitarian Institute contribute significantly to scholarly activities at the University.
School Outreach
The REES outreach program serves primary and secondary school students and teachers in the Pittsburgh region and beyond through school visits, the Model United Nations program, an instructional resource library, and professional development seminars for teachers. Many of these services are provided free of charge to K-12 schools through REES's National Resource Center grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The
School Visits Program is utilized by Pittsburgh-area elementary
and secondary schools to enhance students' educational experience
and add to the curriculum by bringing experts on, and visitors
from, the REES region to speak at the schools. Occasionally
students from area schools may be invited to the University
of Pittsburgh for an educational program organized by REES.
Regional and community college faculty in the Pittsburgh area
also can request speakers.
Recent school visits include:
- A three-part introduction to the Russian language for middle school students
- Hands-on workshops on the art of "pysanky" (Ukrainian egg painting)
- A folk dancing workshop and panel discussion on contemporary Russian life
- Cultural talks on Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, presented by natives of those countries
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