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I shall be pleased to welcome as many of you as will be able to come.
This year's Grand Chapitre, entitled "Window on Europe," will take place over four days at a number of historic St. Petersburg sites. On Friday, 3 October, there will be an excursion to the palace and park of the Czar's Village. At Catherine the Great's Palace, we visit the Amber Room, the fully restored walls of which were originally made of great slabs of amber that were presented to Peter the Great by Friedrich of Prussia in 1716.
The Grand Gala Dinner Amical on Saturday, 4 October, will be held in Mikhailovsky Castle, one of the city's most prized architectural landmarks.
St. Petersburg is the world's largest city in the far northern latitudes of the globe. Known as the City of the Czars, the Venice of the North, Peter the Great's Window on Europe, and the Northern Palmyra, St. Petersburg is all this and more. The year 2003 marks the 300th year since Peter opened this "window on Europe"; thus the city is sparing no expense to show itself to the world. Preparations for the jubilee have been moving apace for the past three years. Among the most involved Russian citizens is President Vladimir Putin, himself a native of St. Petersburg, who has placed special importance on the city's beautification. Palaces have been restored, buildings redecorated and streets and roads resurfaced.
If you have long been planning a trip to St. Petersburg, this Chaine des Rotisseurs assemblage presents a perfect opportunity. I know you will be delighted by what you see and by our exceptionally warm Russian hospitality. Now is the best time to start making plans to join all of us in St. Petersburg.
I look forward to hearing from you and to welcoming you to our Grand Chapitre in St. Petersburg.
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