US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle told journalists that Russia and the United State could designate 2012 as a year of joint cultural exchange, ITAR-TASS reports. The US diplomat, who was in Yekaterinburg, pointed out that the idea of holding year of cultural exchange was approved by the presidents of both countries in their first meeting. As a result of that meeting, a bilateral presidential commission was formed and it currently includes 16 working groups. Among the most effective and productive of these groups are the ones focused on education and culture, the ambassador said.

“A number of projects are in the works to expand exchanges between universities of both countries. There are also plans for tours by Russian theatrical troupes and orchestras in the United States and for American groups to visit Russia,” Ambassador Beyrle said.

At the same meeting, Greg Guroff, President of the Foundation for International Arts and Education, said that the commission has already received a proposal to bring an international exposition of the works of Nicolai Fechin to Russia. After becoming famous in his homeland, Fechin moved to the United States, where he made a name for himself as one of the best artist of the American West. The exposition will be hosted in Kazan, where the artist was born.

At the same time, Guroff noted that there are a great number of difficulties involved in holding a large-scale cultural exchange. “The United States does not have a special government body that oversees cultural affairs. So the government cannot stipulate which expositions museums should hold. An active advertising campaign is necessary to implement a project of this scale,” Guroff said.

Ambassador Beyrle and Guroff were in Yekaterinburg for the opening of a travelling exhibition on the unique story of the ambassador’s father Joseph Beyrle. The exhibition is being held at the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum. “My father was the only American soldier to have fought against the Nazis with both the US army and the Soviet army. In 1944 he was captured as a prisoner of war and held in camps for about seven months. And then he managed to escape. He joined up with Russian troops and together with them fought against Fascist Germany. My father managed to return to his homeland with the help of Marshall Zhukov. From Moscow he returned to the United States, but only after a memorial service had already been held for him in his hometown in the state of Michigan,” the ambassador said.

According to museum director Natalya Vetrova, the exhibition is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War and organized by the Russian Museum and the Foundation for International Arts and Education (USA). On display are over 260 items of Joseph Beyrle’s personal wartime effects, including his uniform, medals, extensive correspondence and photo and video documentation of his life.