New Trust Director meets Fellows in Kiev and Baku
In January 2008 the Trust’s new Director, Professor Brian Brivati, was warmly welcomed to Ukraine and Azerbaijan by our John Smith alumni. Brian first travelled to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to interview candidates for the 2008 John Smith Fellowship Programme. He was accompanied by Julie Utting, the Trust’s Administrative and Information Assistant.
Azerbaijan interview panel: L-R Shabnam Mahmudova (British Council),
Declan Byrne (British Embassy), Andy Williams (British Council), Julie Utting (JSMT) and Brian Brivati (JSMT)
At the Karvansaray Restaurant in the Baku Old Town, Brian met with a number of alumni including: Vusal Huseynov, Khalid Rajabov, Aida Suiundueva, Samir Mammadov, Tabib Huseynov, Elnur Musayev and Rafig Gurban-zadeh.
Colin Wells (Charge D’Affaires, British Embassy) kindly hosted a dinner in honour of the Trust visit where Brian was able to meet 2005 Fellow Shahla Ismailova who is Chair of the Women’s Association for Rational Development, Attorney of the Human Rights House Foundation, and Advisor for the Global Fund for Women. Other guests at the dinner were Tabib Huseynov (2006 Fellow) and a number of representatives from the local community.
John Smith alumni at the Karvansaray Restaurant with Julie Utting (JSMT)
Brian also travelled to Kiev during the last week of January to interview candidates for the 2008 Programme. Whilst in Ukraine he met a number of alumni based in Kiev including: Yegor Kalashnikov, Natalya Sofyants, Mykhailo Chaplyga, Volodymyr Kuzminsky, Vitaliy Kuchynsky, Tetyana Monayeva, Victoria Mukha, Olga Reka and Oleg Kylymnyk.
L-R Mykhailo Chaplyga, Volodymyr Kuzminsky, Vitaliy Kuchynsky,
Tetyana Monayeva, Brian Brivati (JSMT), Maria Zakharova (British Council), Victoria Mukha and Oleg Kylymnyk.
Brian plans to travel to Georgia in April for the Trust’s annual Follow-Up Conference and to Armenia later in the year on a judicial-themed visit.
Maria Zakharova (British Council) and Ukrainian John Smith alumni
The John Smith Memorial Trust would like to thank Shabnam Mahmudova, Maria Zakharova, Andy Williams, Declan Byrne, Colin Wells and all our alumni for their assistance in organising these visits and for welcoming Brian to Baku and Kiev.