2008 John Smith Fellows honoured to meet the Prime Minister
On Thursday 10th July, our 2008 John Smith Fellows were privileged to meet the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP. The Prime Minister, who was the Trust’s founding Chairman and a close friend of John Smith, spoke to each country group about the five weeks that they spent in the UK. He wished them success for the future and congratulated Baroness Smith, the Trust and the Fellows on the success of the Programme.
The Prime Minister talks to Ukrainian Fellows Svitlana Zalishchuk and Yuliya Zelvenska
Photo courtesy of John McConville, Campaign HQ
Earlier that day the 2008 Fellows delivered their action-plan presentations in No.11 Downing Street to Trustees, Advisors and invited guests by kind permission of The Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP. Each Fellow gave a five minute presentation on the projects they plan to implement on their return home, inspired by their attachments and other experiences from their time spent in the UK.
Ramila Aslanova presents on her plan to reform the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan
Photo courtesy of John McConville
Kyrgyz Fellow Kylych Kubatbekov plans to work with his attachment host, the Prison Reform Trust, in order to reform the penal system in the Osh, Jalalabat and Batken provinces of Kyrgyzstan. Vladlena Lysenco plans to create a ‘European Centre for Peace and Development’ in order to serve as an information resource for the people living in the Transnistrian region of Moldova. On his return to Russia, Maxim Timofeev plans to improve the community service system for juvenile offenders in St. Petersburg. Viktor Liakh will develop a national pilot project aiming to improve education and enhance job opportunities for orphans in Ukraine. Natalia Tsnoriashvili will assist in the reform of the Georgian judiciary via her ‘Monitoring Criminal Courts’ project and will produce a set of recommendations for improvement of the system.
The Prime Minister with the 2008 Armenian Fellows - Hrayr Gyonjyan, Aleksandr Avetisyan and Ovasanna Yeghoyan
Photo courtesy of John McConville
After the presentations the Lord Chancellor the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP presented each Fellow with a certificate of participation to celebrate their completion of the Programme. He also took part in a Question & Answer session with Fellows answering on issues such as multiculturalism, the court system, and the UK strategy on knife-crime.
Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP presents Georgian Fellow Irina Lashki with her John Smith Fellowship certificate
Photo courtesy of John McConville
The Final Day of the 2008 Programme concluded with an evening reception held in honour of the Fellowship Programme at No.11 Downing Street, followed by a farewell dinner at One Great George Street.
Russian Fellow Ibragim Arsanov thanks Baroness Smith on behalf of the 2008 Fellows
To read more about the 2008 Fellowship Programme please follow this link: 2008 Fellows Arrive in Edinburgh
July 2008