Tampabay: 2 St. Petersburgs to mark birthdays

WASHINGTON -- The two cities are thousands of miles apart, in culture, climate and geography. One will be 300 years old next year, the other 100. One city's average winter temperature is the other's average summer temperature.

But they share a name and a desire to learn more about one another.

St. Petersburg, Fla., and St. Petersburg, Russia, plan to hold joint birthday celebrations next year, officials from both cities announced Monday at the National Press Club.

According to an agreement signed by the leaders of both cities, what they envision is "a celebration in each community including common projects in fields such as arts and culture, education, industry, youth, technology, science, media, trade and sports."

Mayor Rick Baker said he envisioned taking advantage of annual events in his city, such as First Night or the Festival of States, and incorporating them into a theme for the yearlong celebration. He noted that downtown already hosts 300 events a year.

Baker said the two cities may organize cultural exchanges, including museum exhibits, and educational exchanges involving the University of South Florida and St. Petersburg College, for example.

"I think what the city gets out of it is, of course, first of all, an ongoing relationship between the two cities and the two countries," Baker said after appearing at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Gov. Vladimir Yakovlev.

"I think that can lead to economic development between the two cities and the two countries, which would be very positive."

Baker added that the joint celebrations could also generate "great publicity for our city to tie together with one of the world's great cities in general, and one of the world's great cultural cities."

St. Petersburg, Fla., turns 100 next year.

Its Russian counterpart turns 300.

A Russian immigrant, Peter Dementyev, who later changed his name to Peter Demens, is largely credited with giving the Florida city its name. Demens built the city's first railroad line.

In the joint declaration, Baker and Yakovlev cited the link to Demens.

The statement added, "Similarities between the two St. Petersburgs also include their shared dedication to the arts and museums, their waterfront geographical locations, and their noted beauty."

For the Russians especially, the celebration is huge. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is in charge of the committee organizing events in the Russian city. Yakovlev said city officials hope to attract business to St. Petersburg.

Yakovlev also said city officials were excited about the Florida festivities. "Definitely," the governor said, speaking through an interpreter, "we will join the celebration with them."

Baker said that during a visit to his office a few weeks ago a Russian official involved with Russia's celebration broached the subject of having joint festivities.

Baker said that when he discovered that he and Yakovlev would be in Washington at the same time, Baker decided to explore the idea further.

"I'm hopeful that in a small way this joint celebration between our two cities can help bring our two great countries closer together," Baker said.

Four members of the St. Petersburg City Council joined the mayor at the National Press Club: Bill Foster, Jay Lasita, James Bennett and Richard Kriseman.

Dick Johnston, president of the Florida International Museum, and Carl Kuttler, president of St. Petersburg College, also attended.

Johnston noted that with 260 museums in St. Petersburg, Russia, Florida officials were exploring the possibility of hosting a Russian exhibit.

"As the world gets smaller, you need to learn about other countries," Johnston said. "And this is one way to do it, as a cultural exchange."

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