2004 programs and events

USG Alumni Photo Contest in Belarus Spotlights "American Snapshots"

The Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy Minsk April 9 hosted participants in the alumni online photo contest American Snapshot. IATP (Internet Access and Training Program) Belarus, the U.S. Embassy, and the American Center for Education and Research (ACER) sponsored the awards ceremony.

The contest was intended to promote mutual understanding between Americans and Belarusians through the creation of an online photo gallery (http://alumni.iatp.by/photo/) reflecting alumni exchange experiences. More than 100 photographs were submitted to the IATP alumni website in four categories: American Icons, Everyday America, Multiculturalism, and Sense of Community. About 30 alumni, including 14 winners, attended the awards ceremony. Assistant Public Affairs Officer Thomas Tanner thanked alumni for their active participation in the competition and said that it was a pleasure to view and evaluate the interesting, exciting, and beautiful photos. Karen Stewart, Deputy Chief of Mission, awarded the winners with prizes. The grand prize, a digital camera, went to Alexander Vanyukov (Community Connections 03) for his photo titled Liberty. The Information Resource Center (IRC) of the US Embassy prepared an exhibition of the winning photos. All photos submitted in the competition were shown on a big screen presentation created by IATP Belarus.