Soviets Meet Middle America

The mission of the Soviets Meet Middle America (SMMA) program was to bring American and Soviet citizens together “around the kitchen table” in American homes to discover that they weren’t enemies. In 1987 CCI and an American philanthropist wanted to destroy decades of stereotypes on both sides. They created SMMA, the first ever program in history to bring ordinary, non-state appointed Soviet citizens and place them in homes and communities throughout America.

First group of SMMA Soviets arriving in the U.S.

In the early stages of the program, the Soviet Peace Committee, which was responsible for issuing visas to travelers, insisted on choosing the Soviet people to participate in the program. After several uninspired government-chosen delegations, CCI took advantage of an unprecedented new process opened up by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988. Soon ordinary CCI-chosen Soviets began traveling to the U.S. on SMMA.

These Soviet citizens were from all walks of life. They lived in American homes, visited Rotary Clubs, went to church, attended potluck dinners, were interviewed on radio and TV and covered in American newspapers. Over a two-year period, CCI brought Soviet citizens from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Russian Far East to visit in 265 American cities and towns. They stayed in over 800 American homes, visited hundreds of Rotary Clubs and educational institutions, were covered in over 1,000 newspapers and interviewed on television and radio in every city they visited.

SMMA Soviets citizens in San Francisco. Which ones are the Soviets?

Sister City relationships developed, long-term friendships blossomed and hundreds of exchange projects were born as a result of SMMA. School educators made reciprocal trips back and forth to each other’s countries, computer specialists began joint ventures, wine regions developed long-term professional relations and many American hosts traveled to the USSR to visit new Soviet friends.

SMMA ended its spectacular two years of action with a farewell celebration in Moscow in 1989. Over 90 percent of the Soviet participants traveled to the capital city to trumpet the remarkable effects this program had in their lives.