Internet Access and Training Program.

 Asya Silaeva
E-mail: asya@projectharmony.ru
http://iatp.projectharmony.ru

The United States Department of State's Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) seeks to build stronger relationships between Americans and Russian through the development of free and open communication. Begun in 1996, IATP was administered throughout the NIS by the International Research and Exchange Board (IREX http://www.irex.ru), an American non-profit organisation, through spring 1999. During these three years over 30 public access Internet centres were opened in the Russian Federation and more than 100,000 users received free e-mail addresses and access to information resources.

In March 1999, the US State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs selected the American non-profit organisation Project Harmony to administer the second stage of IATP in the Russian Federation through October 2001, while IREX continues to oversee the IATP programs in the other countries of the CIS.

In its work in the IATP program, Project Harmony emphasises developing Russian-language Internet resources and training educators and alumni of US government programs. Since beginning its work on the IATP, Project Harmony has:

During the second half of the second phase of IATP, Project Harmony will: