MADISON – A delegation from Kazakhstan toured North Alabama on Oct. 18-26, hosted by the International Services Council of Alabama (ISC). They even allotted time to enjoy the American tradition of baseball.

Mayor Troy Trulock recently met with a delegation from Kazakhstan, hosted by the International Services Council of Alabama (ISC). (CONTRIBUTED)

Associated with the Open World Leader Center, the visitors met Alabama politicians, educators and business people, ISC Executive Director Jacqui Shipe said. The visitors work as management- and agency-level leads for civil service in their home country.

Madison resident Olga Osadcii served as interpreter for the delegation. Osadcii’s family hosted some visitors, who attended her son’s baseball game at Palmer Park.

Members of a Kazakhstan delegation attended a baseball game at Palmer Park in Madison. (CONTRIBUTED)

“They have their own Kazak language; however, their language while in Alabama was Russian,” Shipe said.

In Huntsville, they learned about Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) with executive director Nancy Robertson. Madison Mayor Troy Trulock explained city government, Alabama style, to the group.

The Kazaks toured the Apple Store, International Heritage Festival at Burritt on the Mountain, U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Cummings Research Park and historic homes in Huntsville.

Also, they met with Michele Mason, president of the North Alabama Better Business Bureau, employees at the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce and professors at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

In Hartselle, they saw poultry farming operations at the Hal Lee Farm. The group continued south to tour the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

“An interesting outcome of the visit was the signing of a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ between two of their organizations, Transparency International of Kazakhstan and the Club for Young Civil Servants ZHIGER Public Association Kazakhstan, and ISC,” Shipe said.

The agreement’s goal is to implement joint “initiatives aimed at strengthening international cooperation, expanding areas of cultural and professional exchanges and promotion of open and democratic principles in society,” she said.

ISC was founded in 1965 when international military personnel trained at Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville Rotary Club convinced Huntsville’s mayor, council and county commissioners to support the organization.

ISC has coordinated more than 80,000 visitors. For more information, visit iscalabama.org or Facebook/ISC Alabama.