A who's who of Helena and state government will play host next week to a delegation of five Russian visitors during their study of federalism in Montana.

The visit is part of the ongoing Open World program, aimed at spurring democracy and economic development in the former Soviet Union. The delegation is expected to arrive in Helena Sunday.

"These are emerging leaders from small to medium-sized cities in Russia that have been chosen by the Library of Congress to participate in the Russian Leadership Program," said Tanya Lukenbill, a Helena translator and director of the International Crossroads Group.

The Russian Leadership Program, known as Open World, was authorized as a pilot program in 1999. The program has hosted nearly 4,000 Russian visitors to the U.S. since its inception, representing 88 of the Russian Federation's 89 political regions and 43 ethnic groups.

"It's important to the U.S. government to encourage closer relationships with Russian leaders who stand on the forefront of domestic democratic reform," Lukenbill said. "Their idea is to spend time in Helena to learn the structure and function of American state government."

Throughout the week, the Russians have scheduled meetings with Secretary of State Bob Brown, Lt. Gov. Karl Ohs, Supreme Court Justice Pat Cotter, and Rep. Christine Kaufmann, who serves as co-director of the Montana Human Rights Network.

The delegation will also meet with Helena City Manager Tim Burton, businessman Alan Nicholson, and Lowell Bartells, the president of the Farm in the Dell Foundation. The group also has a scheduled tour of Yellowstone National Park.

"Several people from Helena have been incredibly supportive of this particular group," Lukenbill said. "It's very important to these people that they're going to be hosted by the local families."

The Russians will be hosted by city judge Myron Pitch, Dave Stelling, manager of the local Federal Aviation Administration, and Larry Dryer, president of the American Federal Savings Bank. Lukenbill will also host a delegate, along with Barbara Harris, a retired administrative assistant with the Office of Public Instruction.

Andrey Burenin, director of finance administration in the Irkutsk region of Russia, said that current economic development there is generally focused at the federal level. He believes development in Russia will succeed only if the population shares the rights and responsibilities of economic development.

"So experience of the USA will be very useful," he said.

A survey of Russian participants in the Open World program found that 83 percent had gained a better understanding of the role volunteer organizations play in the U.S., while 81 percent had gained better understanding of the U.S. legal system. Nearly 82 percent said they were more willing to cooperate with U.S. leaders as a result of the exchange.

The Montana Center for International Visitors, headed by Doris Armstrong, helped arrange the visit, which is sponsored by the Library of Congress.

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086, or by e-mail at mkidston@helenair.com