The Building Bridges bears were graciously accepted by the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Yuri V. Ushakov, who delivered brief remarks thanking VOICES for our outreach effort. Each bear has a card bearing a brief message in Russian and English expressing solidarity with these victims of terrorism. Some bears, for example, have the message, “Every time you hug this bear, know that someone cares for you” and the translation. 

From Washington the bears will be transported to the town of Beslan, in the North Ossetia region of Russia, and distributed to families of the victims in time for the first anniversary of the attacks in September. On September 1, 2004. Beslan School #1 was seized by separatist militants who held teachers and students hostage for three days. On September 3, Russian Special Forces reclaimed the school, but 344 victims, including 172 children, died in the attack. In his remarks at the event, Ambassador Ushakov called the Beslan attack “ Russia’s 9/11,” because of its impact on the nation. At the event, VOICES members signed the Beslan Declaration Against Terrorism to show our solidarity with the victims and commitment to work together to combat terrorism. The event was mentioned in an article last week by the Russian ITAR TASS news agency. 

Peter Prime of Adirondack Toys donated a group of bear puppets for the students at Beslan School #1, and Chris Kilbane of New Cannan Toy Store facilitated the purchase of 350 smaller bears to be distributed to individual families of the victims. Many other Voices of September 11th members donated bears or money to purchase them. 

In the future, we will reach out to other communities scarred by terrorism in the hope that we can make a small difference in the lives of people may not know by name, but know intimately just the same. 

VOICES would like to thank Senator Lieberman and his fantastic staff for making the Russian Embassy event possible; our volunteers and staff at Voices of September 11 th for their hard work on the Send-A-Bear program; and especially everyone at the Russian Embassy for being such gracious hosts and arranging to deliver the bears to Beslan families.