Education sphere:

Vladimir (RF) — Sarasota (USA)

In 2004 schools of Vladimir city took part in the international contest «Write a Play» organized by the Florida Studio Theater. Now it's became an annual contest among all sister-cities of Sarasota.

About the Write a Play project (link).

In January 2008 a delegation headed by the director of Florida Studio Theater Kate Alexander visited a city of Vladimir. The teachers from FST Adam Rathner and Cristy Giller organized and held seminars and work-shops for the pupils of schools # 10 and 23. During those seminars children learned how to write plays using foreign language. In May 2008 3 pupils from school # 23 and one pupil from school # 10 visited Sarasota as international winners of Write a play project. This year three students of school # 23 Alina Lazutkina, Regina Letvinova and Ivan Mednikov have become winners. Their playwrights were chosen competitively from over 5,400 student entries. And traditionally plays will be presented at Florida Studio Theater by professional actors and students will attend a performance of their play and an award ceremony where they will receive a certificate of recognition and a medal.

Youth policy:

European Project

A new European project «Move together» was started on February 2008 in Vladimir. The development of the solidarity, mutual understanding and tolerance between the teenagers of different countries is the main goal of this project that provides assistance for the children from problem families. European Union supports the project.

In 2008 8 cities took part in Move together program: Jena, Erlangen (Germany), Aubersvilliers, Rennes (France), Eskilstuna (Sweden), Lvov (Ukraine), Chelyabinsk and Vladimir (Russia). During the period from the 16th to 19th of June the representatives of 7 cities visited Vladimir and took part in the information seminar. As a result of the discussion held during the seminar the participants of the project choosed the summer camp Ikar in Vladimir area as a place where Move together program could be realised. 60 children and their teachers stayed in the camp 12 days since the 24th of July to the 4th of August 2008. It was a big chance for the most of children to see a foreign country and get their own idea of how people live abroad.

Cultural sphere:

Russian-British Joint Project

In 2003 the «Russia in Bloom» project was developed and initiated by «Enterprise Russia, LTD» (UK) as an all-Russian gardening contest for the general public, including Сity Administration.

Firstly seven Russian cities participated in the contest — Vladimir, Ivanovo, Maloyaroslavets (Kaluzhsky region), St. Petersburg, Tchusovoi (Perm Region), Juzha (Ivanovo region) and Yaroslavl.

The sponsor was the British company, «Sutton Seeds», granted through a patent from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Sutton Seed Company supplies the Royal Court with seeds at the participants' disposal. Participants included municipal services, enterprises and various organizations. Now this contest became an annual and Vladimir city is a national coordinator and at the same time coordinator of the city contest «Vladimir in Bloom».

In our days we have more than 20 cities-paticipants and over 100 prticipants in Vladimir city.