Six women sit in the reception area of United States Congresswoman Doris Matsui’s office. Each is holding a copy of Time magazine. They are pointing to the cover photo of president-elect Barack Obama and speaking loudly to each other in Russian.

“In this election America has shown the whole world that they have a real democracy,” said Anna Sergeyevna, a business consultant from the Russian city of
Ulyanovsk – the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin.

The women were members of an Open World delegation. Open World is an
exchange program between Russia and the United States that began in 1999 to assist in Russia’s transition to democracy after the fall of the Soviet Union. While visiting Sacramento the six delegation members were able to speak to City College sociology, political science and business students about current social issues in Russia, issues like human rights, war, economic structures and multiculturalism.

Each year fewer than 100 people are nominated for the program and approximately 50 are chosen to make the 10-14 day trip to the U.S. Every delegation has a specific theme – like health care, education or the rule of law. Delegation members are chosen based on their professional involvement and experience in these areas.

This year’s theme is social issues and these women, all of them entrepreneurs, are
involved in community organizations and social work in their local communities.

Galiya Zakirovna owns a large grocery store and bakery, but also provides food
to orphanages in her region. She is interested in the methods that private businesses in the U.S use to raise charitable funds.

“For any country, all social issues are one and the same,” Zakirovna said. “We are all learning to deal with poverty, hunger, women and children’s issues, for example.”

The delegation also visited many local charities and community organizations, including the St. Hope Project in Oak Park.

“The group was really impressed by the combination of community, business and educational development at St. Hope,” said Riad Bahhur, coordinator of City College’s International Studies Program.

Bahhur works with programs like Open World to encourage City College students to be more globally minded. Throughout the year he is also in touch with the Senate International Relations Committee to bring more international visitors
to the campus.

“Programs like this expose the students and faculty to people from other parts of the world, it gives them a chance to converse with someone from outside their own life,” Bahhur said. “People can really grow from that kind of interaction.”