On July 30, 2003, seven justices of the peace and a senior regional judicial official, all from Arkhangelsk Region in northwest Russia, arrived in Washington, DC, for the first leg of a trip that would take them to courts and communities across southern Maine. Their study tour was organized for Open World by the Russian American Rule of Law Consortium (RAROLC) and one of its members, the Archangelsk-Maine Rule of Law Project, a partnership between legal professionals in Maine and Arkhangelsk Region. This was the first delegation of justices of the peace to be hosted by Open World, and I was privileged to spend time with them in both Washington and Maine.

The Arkhangelsk delegation's visit began with an extensive two-day professional orientation at the Library of Congress. Next came their seven-day trip to Portland, the host city, and nearby Augusta, York, and Cape Elizabeth. I arrived in Maine on August 6 and traveled to Cape Elizabeth to meet up with the Russian visitors, their host committee, and Portland-area citizens involved with the Greater Portland - Arkhangelsk sister-city project. Some 40 people had gathered on a warm, clear summer evening to enjoy a typical American barbecue at the home of Associate Dean David Cluchey of the University of Maine School of Law, who has been to Arkhangelsk several times for joint rule of law activities.

Many of the guests conversed easily in Russian with the visiting justices of the peace, a testament to the expertise and long-standing interest in Russia that undergird the Greater Portland — Arkhangelsk sister-city relationship. This relationship has yielded tangible benefits to both communities — ranging from vital support for law schools and clinics in Arkhangelsk Region, to a model joint program to publish key Russian legal opinions (the first project of this type in Russia), to practical consultation and exchanges between Maine and Arkhangelsk transportation professionals, who battle severe winters and their impact on roads, commerce, and daily life. Both the sister-city relationship and the Archangelsk-Maine Rule of Law Project have also produced strong friendships and professional ties, as I was able to see firsthand during the two days of intensive programming in which I took part.

One of the highlights of the Russians' stay was a meeting with Gov. John Baldacci in his office in Augusta, the state capital. Others were sitting in on the monthly meeting of the Violence Intervention Partnership for Cumberland County and observing proceedings at the Domestic Violence Court in York as guests of Maine District Judge Joyce Wheeler. And on August 8, the delegation members were front-row guests of honor in Portland District Court, where they observed a "protection from abuse" hearing.

I found the opportunity to observe the Russian delegates' give-and-take with their Maine colleagues very helpful. My time with the Arkhangelsk delegation also underscored for me how much Open World benefits from having RAROLC as one of our rule of law program grantees. By working together in a sustained partnership, participating members of the legal communities in RAROLC's paired U.S. states and Russian regions build trust, friendships, knowledge of each other's legal systems, and a shared commitment to advancing the rule of law. This in turn provides the basis for extremely effective program development and progress within Open World's rule of law program.

Published by The PBN Company for the Open World Leadership Center, whose Open World Program has hosted nearly 9,000 citizens from Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan since its inception in 1999. The Center is an independent legislative branch agency that works cooperatively with the U.S. Department of State and other U.S. executive and judicial branch agencies. For additional information, please visit the Open World Leadership Center's website at www.openworld.gov or contact the office at +1 202-707-8943.