“On behalf of the United States Government, I congratulate the Russian American Foundation and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy on 15 years of successful partnership. Your collaboration has deepened ties between the U.S. and Russian dance communities and encouraged cross cultural understanding through the arts, despite the challenges in the official bilateral relationship. Your success demonstrates that the Russian and American people can perform, learn, and thrive side-by-side. I wish you many more years of successful collaboration ahead.”
- Honorable John J. Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, 2022
“The Russian American Foundation’s contributions to cultural, educational, and sports programs in the United States and Russia help foster greater understanding between the people. Such programs highlight the things that the American and Russian people have in common.”
- Honorable Michael A. McFaul, former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation, 2012

The Annual Russian Heritage Month®
The Annual Russian Heritage Month® celebrates and honors the rich diversity of cultural traditions brought to the U.S. from the many countries of the former Soviet Union. The Russian-speaking community plays an indispensable role in the culture, economic and social life of New York, the US and the world. The Annual Russian Heritage Month® has become a unifying force of our community by allowing all to preserve their heritage, culture, and language while also expressing their cultural identity.
The events take place throughout the month of June in New York City, engaging audiences to enjoy diverse cultural events, such as contemporary and folk music, dance performances, art exhibitions, public festivals, health and sports fairs, business expos, and more. Over the past 17 years the Annual Russian Heritage Month® has grown into an internationally recognized month-long celebration dedicated to promoting cross-community awareness, as well as a valuable local, national and international dialogue between peoples and cultures.


The Annual Russian Heritage Month® was established by the Russian American Foundation in collaboration with The City of New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. The festival began as a week-long series of events, celebrating cultural and economic contributions of the Russian-speaking community of New York. Over the years, the international Russian-speaking community has become a vital part of the celebration by participating in events and attending as special guests from the art, fashion, and business worlds. RAF is honored to partner with the New York Post in presenting the Annual Russian Heritage Month® from 2012.
To read more News about the Annual Russian Heritage Month®, please click here.