Grigory Borisovich Chernyak , Deputy General Manager – Property Management Director of OJSC North-West Telecom has become the Laureate of the Prize of the St. Petersburg Government in literature, arts and architecture for 2003.

The prize of the St. Petersburg Government in the Architecture and Design nomination was awarded to G.B. Chernyak for the development of the design concept and show project of the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communication.

G.B. Chernyak is the Chairperson of the Russian Foundation of the History of Communication established by the leading telecommunication enterprises of Russia, including OJSC North-West Telecom for the purpose of implementing socially oriented project s in the telecommunication industry of the Russian Federation.

One of the biggest project s of the Foundation has been the renovation of the A.S. Popov Central Museum of Communication – the only state-run museum in Russia, presenting the history of communication facilities development. In 2001-2003 North-West Telecom invested 21.6 million roubles in the renovation of the Museum’s building, a federal monument of history and culture. In 2004 NWT is planning to transfer 9.3 million roubles to the account of the Russian Foundation of the History of Communication.

Project s implemented by the Russian Foundation of the History of Communication under the chairmanship of G.B. Chernyak include such socially significant programmes as:

• establishing a personal scholarship named after Professor A.S. Popov for students and cadets of higher educational institution s of communication (Academy of FAPSI (the Federal Agency of Government Communication and Information), A.S. Popov Naval;
• holding an All-Russia Physics Olympic named after professor A.S. Popov among students of the Nakhimov Naval Academy, Suvorov Military Colleges and military schools of the Russian Federation and the CIS;
• renovation of the St. Petersburg Central Post Office.

North-West Telecom JSC  is planning to continue its active participation in socially oriented, charity and sponsorship project s, which is a priority area in the company’s corporate policy.