us-russia SECURITY program

The US-Russia Security Program began in 1991 to provide Russian general officers a neutral environment for the discussion of security issues and to encourage the kind of free thinking inherent in the American democratic system.  With the addition of American counterparts in 1997, the program acquired new meaning, becoming a unique forum for open communication between the Russian and American militaries.  The program was further modified in 2002 to recognize the contribution of senior civilians in defense and defense-related establishments.  Since that time, select senior civilians with security-related functions have participated.  The most recent addition to the program is an annual workshop in Moscow that brings together Russian and American program alumni with academic specialists, current military leaders, and senior government officials. Since 1991, it has hosted approximately 270 American and 400 Russian participants.  The program aims to:

Deepen the understanding of global and regional security issues, defense organization, and military reform and restructuring;

Explore specific ways to cooperate on issues of vital interest to both countries;

Engage the Russian senior officials in a free flow of ideas inherent in the pluralistic American system;

Promote critical thinking across the entire spectrum of subject matter;

Encourage networking for both official and social endeavors;

Provide environment for casual interaction between US and Russian senior defense officials

The most recent program which took place in November 2010 hosted 30 Russian and US participants representing ground, air and sea services.

The US-Russia Security Program is funded by a generous grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, with additional support from the Russian Ministry of Defense. For more information, please contact Program Director Sergei Konoplyov at (617) 495-8046, or sergei_konoplyov@harvard.edu