International cultural exchange expert, Valery Kostin, will share the ordinary Russian point of view on the past and present of his native country, business opportunities, the changing governments, the Russian-USA relationships, the Ukrainian situation and daily life now of its citizens on Thursday, September 18 at the Rockland Public Library from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. This event is free and open to all.

Valery Kostin and his family have been living in Maine for 17 years. Originally from Russia, he has been involved in international cultural exchanges for many years in more than 50 countries.

Valery was the first Soviet speaker at American Camp Association Annual Conference in 1990 in Boston. After this event he became a frequent speaker in many countries, such as Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Russia, Taiwan, Turkey, USA, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

He has great experience organizing children, youth, and camp professionals’ exchange programs. This experience comes from a prolonged personal involvement (since childhood) in camps all over the world. He had been a camp director in the biggest international camp in the world – ARTEK – in Crimea. At that camp he grew from a camper, to a camp counselor, then program director, then camp director of one of the units.

The acquired tolerance, mediating experience, radiant personality, and sense of wit and acceptance of cultural differences made him indispensable at international Camping Congresses and Round Table discussions. Since 1990 he has been Member of the Steering Committee of the International Camping Fellowship. In 2008, in Quebec City, Valery was elected ICF (International Camping Fellowship) President.

This presentation is hosted by the Rockland Public Library and offered as a free community event in in anticipation of the 28th Annual Camden Conference: Russia Resurgent, February 20-22, 2015.