RAF welcomes this year's 2020 NSLI-Y Virtual Summer Intensive finalists from all across the United States and looks forward to engaging them on this important and valuable journey. RAF is proud to have collaborated with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, American Councils for International Education, and all of its long-standing NSLI-Y partners to bring this unique virtual language learning and cultural exchange experience to American high school students for the summer of 2020.
RAF is thankful for the overwhelming interest in a virtual BBASI intensive! After much consideration, RAF decided to focus our exclusive efforts on supporting our 2020 BBASI families and their young dancers. We are most grateful to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, its leadership, teachers, accompanists, and students, who have worked with RAF over the last months to provide a virtual program free of charge to our 2020/2021 enrolled BBASI families.
In 2020, for the 11th year in a row, RAF has been selected as an implementing organization for the prestigious NSLI for Youth Program, a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. RAF’s NSLI-Y Program empowers American youth to be future global ambassadors through a unique opportunity which combines Russian language instruction, cultural immersion, pre-professional and career related experiences.
The Russian American Foundation (RAF) was founded in 1997 as a non-partisan organization to encourage interest in and understanding of Russian heritage among all communities in the US, as well as to promote reciprocal interest in and understanding of American heritage among global Russian-speaking communities. At its inception, RAF's programming centered on the arts as a common bond to promote mutual understanding and engagement. With time, RAF's programming also expanded to the fields of education and sports.
Today, RAF serves national and international communities while continuing to be a strong supporter and active member of the Russian-American community of New York. At the core of RAF's mission is an ongoing commitment to:
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Promoting a positive dialogue between the people and cultures of the United States and Russia.
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Promoting economic and social development, progress, and well-being within the Russian-speaking community of the New York area and the greater United States.
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Promoting a better understanding and acceptance of the Russian-speaking community among the various other communities of New York and the greater United States.
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Assisting the Russian-speaking community of New York and the greater United States in preserving its heritage, culture, and language.
