PRINCETON AND BLUEFIELD — Five judges from Mongolia will participate in the U.S. Congress–sponsored Open World Program on Rule of Law, July 22—29, in Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

The Mongolian judges’ delegation includes Luvsandorj Odonchimeg, judge; first-instance Intersoum Criminal Court of Dundgobi Province; Mishigdorj Batzorig, judge, first-instance Civil Court of Khan-Uul District; Nandintsetseg Zorigoo, judge, first-instance Criminal Court of Zavkhan Province; Tungalag Lkhagvajargal, chief judge, first instance Administrative Court in Zavkhan Province; Ariuntsetseg Lkhagvasuren, civil judge, first instance Inter-Soum Civil Court of Orkhon Province; English Facilitator Khorolsuren Magvan, political specialist, U.S. Embassy, Ulan Batur, Mongolia. Bulgan Khorloo will serve as interpreter during the group’s study tour.

The Mongolian judges will learn about rule of law, U.S. jurisprudence, and the different levels of courts (city, county, state, and federal levels). Specifically, they will learn about the U.S. Federal District Courts from the Program Mentor, the Honorable U.Ss Federal Magistrate Omar Aboulhosn; the role and functions of Bluefield City Court from Bluefield City Judge David Kersey; the role of Mercer County Circuit Court from Circuit Court Judges Derek Swope, William Sadler, and Mark Wills; the role of Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office from Prosecuting Attorney George Sitler and his colleagues; the role of Mercer County Family Court from Family Court Judge Mary Ellen Griffith; the role of Mercer County Magistrates’ Courts from County Magistrate Michael Flanigan; the types of cases heard in the U.S. Federal District Courts from the Honorable Senior U.S. Federal District Judge David Faber; how Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and independent attorneys support victims of physical, neglect, and emotional abuse and sexual abuse, children/human rights, and restoration of violated rights from Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor and Holly Flanigan, attorney at law; the role of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from West Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Allen Loughry III and about the administrative aspects of the court from Gary Johnson, director, Administrative Office of the West Virginia Courts; the role of the ACLU-WV; and the Mongolian judges will learn about how children’s and human rights and the indigent are safeguarded and provided legal support from Shiloh Woodard of Child Protect, Cathy Wallace of ChildLaw Services, Tracy Burks of the Public Defender’s Office, and Devin True of Legal Aid of West Virginia.

West Virginia field staff of Senators Capito and Manchin and Congressman Evan Jenkins will brief the visitors about the role of the federal government in promoting rule of law. A brief visit with West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has been requested.

Cultural activities in Appalachia will include a picnic at Rodger Woodrum’s farm in Rocky Gap, Va., and bowling at Carl Mariotti Jr.’s Mountaineer Bowling Lanes.

The Mongolian judges’ delegation will enjoy home stays with Pete Sternloff, Doris Sue and Norris Kantor, Kitt and Gary McCarthy, and Lou Freeman in Bluefield, and Carol and David Bard and Elizabeth Muldoon and Joe Parker in Athens, West Virginia. Host families, a significant ingredient of US-sponsored exchange programs, afford international professionals a unique perspective of American life and culture. More importantly, home stays foster friendships, a key element in people to people diplomacy.

Managed by the independent Open World Leadership Center for the US Congress, OPEN WORLD enables leaders of emerging democracies’ political and civic leaders to work with their American counterparts and to experience American-style democracy at the local level. Open World aims to build mutual understanding between the United States and the Russian Federation and newly independent post-Soviet Republics and to work with their leaders as they implement democratic and economic reforms. The Washington, D.C., office of FHI 360 Development administers the program.

Locally, the Mongolian judges’ visitors program will be implemented by the Center for International Understanding, Inc. 110 Lovell Ave., Princeton. For information about how to participate in similar exchanges as citizen diplomats and ambassadors, call 304-425-4593 or email ciu1988@yahoo.com.

Published Date:2017-07-15