   
The festival “Captain of Earth”
The United Russian-American Association is a group of Russian and Russian-speaking citizens of the Former Soviet Union. URAA is a Houston based, non-for-profit community orientated organization well known not only in Texas, but all around United States. For more than five years our mission is twofold: to broaden the cultural and social ties of the 70,000+ members of our community with our host community in Greater Houston while supporting activities and services which preserve and maintain our Slavic cultural heritage in our emigre community. In 2008 URAA was awarded with the Mayor Volunteer Houston Award. Our activities are funded solely through donations and membership fees.
The festival “Captain of Earth”, organized by URAA, is devoted to the 50th anniversary of the first human flight to space, to honor memory of Yuri Gagarin, and to educate and celebrate Russia’s great contributions to space exploration.
Human Spaceflight became a reality almost 50 years ago with the launch of a bell-shaped capsule called “Vostok 1.” The capsule was carrying Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who took his place in history as the first human to leave the bounds of Earth and enter outer space. Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space and the first person to orbit the Earth on 12 April 1961.
The “Captain of Earth” festival is serving to unify the compatriots living in the United States and bring attention to the role of Russia in the history of space exploration.
The United Russian-American Association is inviting the NASA Space Centre of Houston to participate in the festival. After all, the Johnson Space flight Center is where Russian and American astronauts have trained for space flights.
The festival will be held from July, 17th, till April, 12th, 2011 in Houston, Texas and New York, NY.
The basic activities for the Festival «Captain of Earth»:
The festival “Captain of Earth” began on July 17th, 2010, a day commemorating the 35th anniversary of the first meeting on orbit of Soviet and American astronauts.
On July, 17th 1975 an important event happened in space when two rivals of the cold war met in peace and joint exploration, the Soyuz and Apollo spacecrafts. It laid the foundation for an orbital friendship. After that meeting American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts regularly lived and co-operated in Earth orbit. From the Shuttle-Mir mission to the continued operation of the International Space Station, Russian and American teams of explorers have ventured into the unknown together. This festival not only celebrates the history of space travel but the common desire to work together in discovering the heavens.
On July 17, 2010 the festival began with a competition in the intellectual game “What? Where? When?” on the subject of space exploration by Soviet, Russian and American cosmonauts.
 October-December, 2010 a booklet capturing the history of the first manned space flight will be put together from materials about the role of Russia in space exploration, Gagarin's photos, exhibition materials, and poetic tributes such as Oh, Russia spread your wings! The brochure should be printed in two languages - Russian and English.
Beginning January 12, 2011, in Houston, a series of meetings with representatives of the Mayor's Office, the Chambers of Commerce, the European Committee City of Houston Mayor's Office, businesses connected with Russia, and meetings with college and school students. The meetings will be to inform these groups on the history of Gagarin’ historic flight. Following the meetings information about the exhibition and festival will be printed in mass media, get covered on TV and radio.
President URAA Elena Philips had informed all members of the International Trade & Development Council, Mayor's Office,City of Houston, about Festival "Captain of Earth", and invited to participate at different events on March 2011.
At the beginning of March, 2011 representatives of the Esenin’s Museum from Moscow, Russia, will bring a large mobile exhibition to Houston. We are expecting Russian cosmonauts, other Russian officials and a musical band for the March festivities.
We are expecting guests for the Festival "Captain of Earth":
- Mr. Tsibliyev Vasily, Mr. Budarin Nikolay and Mr. Surayev Maksim, Russian cosmonauts, crew commander and board engineer will be our Honored guests from Moscow, Russia,
- Ms. Shetrakova Svetlana and her team members, the Representatives of the Esenin's Museum, the authors' of the Exhibition from Moscow, Russia,
- Mr. Mikhailov Nikolay, the Representative of Russian World Foundation, co-sponsor of the Festival, from Moscow, Russia,
- Mr. Leonov Igor, Editor of the magazine "Russian Migracia", co-sponsor of the Festival, from Moscow, Russia,
- Ms. Olga Tarasova, Editor and Chief "Russian America" newspaper, from Oklahoma,
- Ms. Sophia Grinblat, Editor and Chief "Our Texas" newspaper, from Texas, Houston,
- Representative from Russian Consulate in Houston,
- We also hope to have representatives from Mayor of Houston's office, the Johnson Space Flight Center and various Russian and Multicultural Centers here in Houston and across Texas.
The exposition “Oh, Russia, spread your wings…” will open on March, 9th, 2011, Yuri Gagarin's birthday, at 2 p.m., and closed on Friday, March, 11th 2011 at 7 p.m.
Russians and Americans are invited to visit the exhibition and socialize with those who will travel from Russia.
 United Russian American Association Invites Everyone to the
Earth Through A Porthole Holiday Party
Friday, March 11. Doors open at 6:00 PM
We welcome you to attend the exhibition, and meet the guests of The Captain of Earth Festival
Evening program and dinner starts at 7:00 PM Ashford Oaks Ballroom 2022 Wilcrest Drive, Houston TX 77042
Babysitting is available.
Tickets are in Russian General Store and on PayPal
Contact 281-389-7914
On The Menu:
Appetizers & Salad
Tomato Mozzarella, Swedish Meatballs, Caesar Salad
Entree
Grilled Salmon with creamy dill caper sauce
Carving Station Herb crusted Roast Beef with creamy horseradish sauce
Side dishes
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes, Vegetable medley
Beverages
Sodas, Iced Tea, Fruit Punch and Coffee, Hot Tea
Complimentary Two bottles of wine per each table Special Arrangements House wine $15.00 per bottle
Guests may bring their own hard liquors
 Attention!
The exposition “Oh, Russia, spread your wings…” will be opened on
March, 10th, 2011, at 2 p.m., celebrating the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first flight in space, and closed on Friday, March, 11th 2011 at 6 p.m.
This event will take place in the ASHFORD OAKS Hall (2022 Wilcrest Drive Houston, Texas 77042)
Russians and Americans are invited to visit the exhibition and socialize with those who will travel from Russia. Please, book time for your tour: 281-389-7914
Following the Houston exhibition the visitors from Moscow will fly to New York, and similar activities will take place in New York City (Sunflower Centre ïî àäðåñó: 262 Glen Head Rd., Glen Head, NY 11545)
The Festival will end on April 12, 2011 with a party in Houston celebrating the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first flight in space with memorable souvenirs for all the participants.
As the American artist Rockwell Kent wrote about the first human space flight,
"Dear Soviet friends, your Yuri are not only yours. He belongs to all mankind. The door to space which he opened, this door which the USSR and Socialism opened, is open for all of us. But for that, peace is necessary. Peace between nations. Peace between ourselves. Let the world celebrate the anniversary of Yuri's flight as a Universal Peace Day. Let that day be celebrated all over the world with music and dances, songs and laughter, as a worldwide holiday of happiness. Let that day be in every town and city square, where young and old gather and let their faces be illuminated with the same happiness that the photographs of people in the Soviet Union show how the Soviet people are happy and proud of the accomplishment of Yuri Gagarin."
The organizers of the upcoming festival “Captain of Earth” are requesting organizational and financial help from foundations and organizations. Help is truly needed to accomplish the celebration of the first hum
URAA President
Elena Suvorova Philips 281-389-7914 www.uraa.us
On the second picture: Mike Sullivan, Houston City Council Member, District E and John Welch, Chairman Elect NACC
PDF- version of press-release here
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