The Bill Maynes Fund for Future Leaders of Eurasia was launched by Eurasia Foundation (EF) in honor of EF’s former President, Charles William Maynes. The Foundation seeks to honor Bill by creating an instrument to recognize, honor and support outstanding individuals from the countries where EF operates who share Bill’s vision for stable, inclusive and prosperous societies. In effect, the Fund is a living memorial that recognizes Bill’s work over the years as a trustee and then as president of the Foundation.
Objectives
• To maintain Bill Maynes’ legacy as a promoter of intelligent engagement between the U.S., Europe and Eurasia;
• To honor young leaders promoting lasting social change in Eurasia;
• To build skills and capacity of participating individuals;
• To educate U.S. and/or European audiences about the significance of developments in the Eurasia region;
• To forge informal bonds among participating institutions and individuals.
After an extensive search, Eurasia Foundation named the inaugural class of Bill Maynes Fellows: Anna Koshman, executive director of the Russian Alliance of Independent Regional Publishers (AIRP) in Moscow, Russia and Ekaterine Siradze-Delaunay, executive director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) in Tbilisi, Georgia. This year’s fellows will participate in intense, individually tailored programs that will introduce them to their U.S. counterparts and offer them specialized training and practical experience in their field of interests.
During their five-week fellowships, Ms. Koshman will work with the Newspaper Association of America on association building, management and public policy issues. She will also visit U.S. media organizations through the Media Partnership Program funded by USAID and implemented by IREX. Ms. Siradze-Delaunay will work with FairVote on the use of technology in analyzing election preparedness and advancing transparency in election administration. She will also spend time with the Office of Elections in Fairfax County, Virginia to gain an understanding of how U.S. elections are administered on a local level.
On October 14, Eurasia Foundation welcomed the inaugural class of Bill Maynes Fellows to Washington, DC with a reception attended by distinguished guests and supporters. Read more...
During the second week of the fellowship, Anna Koshman began her tour of the U.S. by visiting regional media associations and publishing houses with a group of Russian independent publishers. On October 29th, Anna spoke at the National Endowment for Democracy/Center for International Media Assistance (NED/CIMA). Read more...
Ekaterine Siradze-Delaunay travelled to the San Francisco Bay Area to speak at the World Affairs Council of Northern California on Georgia and Democracy Promotion in the Aftermath of the Conflict. At this event, both Horton Beebe-Center and Ekaterine addressed approximately 55 attendees on Eurasia Foundation’s work in the region and the current state of civil society in Georgia. Read more...
Support the Maynes Fund
The Maynes Fund began operations in early 2008 and is entirely financed by private donations. Support the Maynes Fund here.
