07 MAY 96
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
1. THIS SUMMER, THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE NIZHNY NOVGOROD OBLAST WILL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, HOST THE 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE NIZHEGORODSKAYA YAMARKA. A LARGE NUMBER OF EVENTS WILL COMMEMORATE THE CELEBRATION WHICH WILL BEGIN IN MAY AND CULMINATE WITH THE ALL-RUSSIA EXHIBITION SEPTEMBER 1-9, 1996. IN ADDITION TO THE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE YAMARKA, THE CITY OF NIZHNY NOVGOROD ITSELF WILL BE CELEBRATING ITS 775TH ANNIVERSARY.
2. IN ADDITION TO A LARGE NUMBER OF RUSSIAN EXHIBITORS, MANY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WILL PARTICIPATE. BRINTEX, A BRITISH GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED EXHIBITION WILL BE HOSTING A PAVILION HIGHLIGHTING BRITISH FIRMS FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR.
3. BECAUSE OF NIZHNY NOVGOROD'S CRITICAL LOCATION ON THE COMMERCIAL ROUTE BETWEEN THE BALTIC SEA AND CENTRAL ASIA, THE MONKS OF MAKARIEV MONASTERY ORGANIZED A TRADE FAIR, OR YAMARKA, IN THE MID 16TH CENTURY AT A SITE A FEW HOURS BY BOAT FROM THE CITY OF NIZHNY. PROFITABLE FROM THE BEGINNING, THE FAIR SITE WAS EVENTUALLY MOVED TO A SITE BESIDE THE VOLGA WITHIN THE CITY'S BOUNDARIES. ITS HEIGHT EARLY IN THIS CENTURY, THE FAIR ATTRACTED NEARLY HALF A MILLION MERCHANTS AND BUYERS TO THE CITY EACH YEAR. IT WAS THE PREMIER COMMERCIAL TRADING SITE IN RUSSIA, MAKING NIZHNY ONE OF THE RICHEST CITIES IN EUROPEAN RUSSIA AND THE FAIR ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY ATTENDED IN EUROPE AND ASIA. SOME HAVE HYPOTHESIZED THAT NIZHNY NOVGOROD'S EARLY SUCCESS IN PRIVATIZATION IN THE 1990S CAN BE ATTRIBUTED IN PART TO ITS STRONG MERCANTILE HISTORY. CLOSED FOR MOST OF THE COMMUNIST ERA, THE YAMARKA HAS BEEN REVIVED AND REVITALIZED, AND THE FAIR NOW HOSTS NUMEROUS IMPORTANT TRADE EXPOSITIONS ANNUALLY.
5. TODAY, NIZHNY NOVGOROD IS A MAJOR DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR TRADE IN CENTRAL RUSSIA. THE CITY HAS AN EXTENSIVE RIVER PORT AS WELL AS AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THAT IS NOW BEING SERVED BY FRANKFURT DIRECTLY VIA LUFTHANSA, THE GERMAN AIR CARRIER. IN THE ENSUING MONTHS, ADDITIONAL AIRLINES ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW SUIT.
6. SEVERAL MAJOR AMERICAN FIRMS HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY ENTERED THE NIZHNY
NOVGOROD MARKET. SOME OF
THESE COMPANIES INCLUDE: PHILIP MORRIS, PEPSI-COLA INTERNATIONAL, JOHNSON
& JOHNSON, U.S. WEST, PROCTOR & GAMBLE AND MANY OTHERS.
7. NIZHNY NOVGOROD REPRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT FOR AMERICAN FIRMS. ANY U.S. FIRMS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALL-RUSSIA EXHIBITION SHOULD CONTACT THE ABC NIZHNY NOVGOROD'S STATESIDE OR RUSSIA-SIDE OFFICES:
IN THE U.S.:
AGGIE BEDNARZ
GLENDALE, ARIZONA
TEL: 6O2/978-740O
FAX: 6O2/978-8238
EMAIL: ABC@MHS.T-BIRD.EDU
IN RUSSIA:
RICK WALKER
NIZHNY NOVGOROD
TEL/FAX: 8312/372-213
EMAIL: ABCNN@ABC.NNOV.SU