For the first time in its fifteen year history, the Russian Silver Archer Awards for public relations have taken place outside Russia.

­The ceremony in Washington DC was intended to inspire closer cooperation between US and Russian PR firms.

A new category of “Communications in the global world” was set up for those who contributed to creating a positive image of Russia in the United States.

In the “Culture” category, the Archer went to the “Russian American Cultural Heritage Center” in New York, for organizing the “Children’s festival of Russian Culture”. It’s the first such festival in the US, aiming to preserve and spread Russian culture and language.

The second Archer in the “Charity” category went to the “Child’s Heart” Support Group, a Pediatric Heart Project in Siberia, started by the Russian American Medical Association. It’s a regional program which treats children with congenital heart diseases and improves the skills of cardiologists and surgeons in Russia’s remote areas.

Another nomination was given in the “Mass Media” section – to an online project: “RussianDC.com” that works in the information field.

The Director of The Washington Museum of Russian Poetry and Music also left the Ceremony with the Silver Archer – in the “People” nomination.  

And the final winner – in the “Business” category – is an international joint project of Target Labs of Virginia and and BrandHouse from Rostov-on-Don in Russia. The two companies created a centre called “Webinon” that offers career opportunities to the young professionals from Russia and the former CIS countries in the United States.  

According to the Chief Executive of the award, it was only logical for it to expand to the United States: PR came to Russia from the US and for many years Russian specialists learnt from American books and case studies.