1. Early 2006 the annual publication of the “Strategy” Center under the name “Public Policy-2005” came out with my article “Developing an efficient civic engagement policy: experience of international financial institutions and its applicability for the Russian executive authorities” (in Russian). The article is a condensed version of the policy paper.

2. On 31 March 2006 I took part in the OSI Fellowship Meeting in Budapest. At the meeting there was a chance to discuss the experience of IPF in relation to other fellowship programs managed by OSI and “Strategy” Center.

3. In April I printed the policy paper in the form of a brochure in Russian (500 copies) and in English (500 copies) in “Norma” publishing house, St.Petersburg. The Russian version of the brochure has some design of the cover and the English version copies the design of the paper published in PDF at IPF web-site.

4. On May 16 I took part (as an observer) in the founding conference of the Russian Youth Chamber. The Chamber was created by an initiative group of young policy-makers (leaders of youth branches of political parties) and young civil society activists. At present, I applied for membership in the Chamber and awaiting response. Some of the members were presented policy paper in Russian.

5. On 15-17 June at the seminar “Public Policy Center and the new Windows of Opportunities” organized by “Strategy” Center in St.Petersburg I had a discussion and presented the research findings to the Executive Secretary of the Working Group by the Russian Government Commission on Administrative Reform. All the participants of the seminar have also received the policy paper in Russian.

6. June 20-25 I took part in the workshop on CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) and the 6th CIVICUS World Assembly, Glasgow, Scotland. At the CSI workshop I distributed some copies of my policy paper in English. At the Assembly amongst other events I attended the workshop organized by the World Bank on the experience of the WB-civil society Joint Facilitation Committee, JFC. I also had a chance to make an interview with Carolyn Reynolds-Mandell, Senior Communications Officer of the WB’s Global Civil Society Team, External Affairs Department and presented her the policy paper.

During the Assembly I had a chance to meet foreign NGOs –participants of the Civil G8 conference in Mosc

ow, 3-4 July 2006.

7. On June 26 I had an informal working meeting at the EBRD Headquarters in London, kindly organized by Doina Caloianu, Head NGO Relations, Department of Communications. The meeting was made in the form of presentation of the research findings. Participants of the meeting were:

Brigid Janssen, Director of Communication

Doina Caloianu, Head NGO Relations, Department of Communications

Alistair Clark, Director for Environment

Elizabeth Smith, Senior Environmental Adviser, Environment Department (specialised in public participation)

Ksenia Manyushis, Banking, Natural Resources

Colm Lincoln, Board and Institutional Affairs

Paul Martin, Senior advise in the Office of the Secretary General

The meeting went well and I received useful feedback and comments from the EBRD staff, who asked to be informed on the progress of the research and its findings (referring also to PhD work).

8. On July 3-4, 2006 I took part in the international Civil G8 conference (Moscow). I made a brief presentation at the human rights roundtable of the conference (devoted to authorities-civil society relations) of the key findings outlined in my policy paper with a link to the findings of the CIVICUS Civil Society Index for Russia. Both of these papers were summarized in 1-page document which was then passed on to the aids of the President of the RF during his meeting with 12 international CSOs on July 4th.

9. In September 2006 the Department of Applied Political Science of the Moscow State University – Higher School of Economics (HSE), the St.Petersburg Branch will enroll the first BA students. The Department is created on the basis of the “Strategy” Center and currently I am the senior lecturer of the Department. The themes touched upon in the policy paper, such as public participation & civic engagement, the policies of international institutions shall become central topics throughout the educational process. The research paper may be later developed into the methodological textbook for students and published by the HSE.

For more information see http://www.hse.spb.ru