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Carmel Institute of Russian Culture & History; Susan Carmel Lerhman, Founder.

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The Carmel Institute builds lasting connections between Russian and American students through musical and theater performances, Russian and Soviet film screenings, conferences, academic travel, and art exhibits. The Institute also offers grants to AU students to study Russian language and history.

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The Culture of Eastern Orthodoxy: Byzantine Influences on Russia and Eurasia Carmel Institute takes eight university students to see Istanbul

Student group with the Hagia Sophia main gallery's frescoed ceiling behind them.

In December of 2024, the Carmel Institute sponsored a class-trip to Istanbul, Türkiye. The entire group consisted of American University of students who spent part of their winter break exploring the legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Orthodoxy. 

After learning about the central role of the city and religious belief in the region's history, the group saw key historical sites, visited local museums, and took an excursion out of the city to see key Byzantine locations.

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