Our Rotary e-Club of Houston will be hosting a delegation of four energy experts from Ukraine sponsored by our US Congress in the Open World program.
The Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL) is an independent government agency of the United States Congress which implements and funds the Open World program. This program brings leaders from partner countries to the United States in order to give them first-hand exposure to the American system of participatory democracy and accountable governance.
Their orientation will be held in Washington, DC and I have requested a meeting with Senator John Cornyn. Houston is a major energy city and I have experience with hosting one previous Ukrainian team in 2019 with OpenWorld who focused on Renewable Energy. With the onset of the Russian invasion which has targeted power plants, this team is interested in both short-term and long-term energy solutions as well as regulations relevant to procurement, production, and transportation of various sources of energy. They are focused on sustainability policies and issues related to energy transition.
“More than 3,300 Ukrainians have participated in the Open World program and its network of rising star alumni in key government agencies and throughout the private sector has helped move forward the reforms that the Ukrainian people, its government and we at the Embassy support.”
The Open World team consists of two women and two men, one Open World facilitator and one translator (as several have only basic English skills). Throughout the week we have an agenda which will introduce them to programs across Houston as the" Energy Capital of the World" and on Friday, March 3, the team will present the luncheon program at the Memorial Spring Branch Rotary Club.
Special thanks to the following in our club who have assisted with the agenda: Chopin Kiang, Anais Watsky, Akin Olufowoshe, Olivia Hernandez, Brittany Johnson, and Robin and Ed Charlesworth.
If you are free to join us during the week, please contact Robin Charlesworth. The agenda will be on the website soon. On February 25 we will tour the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, celebrate Texas Independence Day at Washington-on-the-Brazos, and wind down at Messina Hof Winery in Bryan with wine and appetizers. On Sunday, February 27, the group will go to the Johnson Space Center/NASA in Clear Lake. Our Welcome BBQ Dinner is also Sunday night from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm ($25 per person). On Tuesday night we will go to the Rockets Basketball game. These are our Cultural activities during their week. We will also have a Wrap-Up Dinner on Friday, March 3 at the home of the Charlesworth's. If you want to join us, let me know so I can get tickets for all.