Gorbachev Foundation And Frank Foundation To Collect Funds To Combat Leukaemia

On April 21-22, the "Frank" international children's foundation (USA) and the International Fund of Socio-Economic Research "Gorbachev Foundation" will hold a joint action in Washington to collect funds for combating leukaemia. Armen Popov, chief of the Frank Foundation's office in Russia, said that the former president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev would take part in this action which should last for two days. On Saturday, a lunch will be held at the Russian embassy in Washington with the participation of Mikhail Gorbachev and the Russian ambassador to the United States Yuri Ushakov. Representatives of business circles, state and cultural figures and philanthropists are also invited. On April 22, Mikhail Gorbachev will take part in a boat trip along the Potomac River on the "Sequoia" yacht which used to be an official yacht of American presidents from 1933 to 1977. The yacht can carry up to 50 people on board. Popov recalled that leukaemia theme was of special interest to Mikhail Gorbachev since a year ago his wife died of this disease. Raisa Gorbachev made a great contribution to the fight against leukaemia, too. Armen Popov could not tell exactly how many children would get real assistance thanks to the said action. However, he assured RIA Novosti that these should be Russian children, mostly from remote regions.

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