Utah Committee for American-Soviet Relations photograph collection, 1989

The Utah Committee for American-Soviet Relations was established in 1986 as a non-profit organization. It was organized as the successor to the Ulan-Ude Friendship Committee, which lasted from 1983-1985. The purpose of the Committee was to educate members and the community about the Soviet Union, its people, their culture, and provide information on issues affecting both the U.S.S.R and America. This was achieved through monthly forums, publications, personal correspondences and visits to and from the Soviet Union. The Committee's first chairman was Lowell Fry Turner (1916-1989).

Activities of interest included participation in a peace march in Moscow in June 1987, hosting a goodwill visit of 20 Soviet citizens to Salt Lake City in October 1987, a Soviet Peace Garden in the International Peace Garden in collaboration with the Salt Lake City Parks department in October 1988, and mediating a sister cities relationship between Salt Lake City and the city of Chernovtsy, located in the Ukraine in June 1989. The Committee was involved in the creation and installation of the "Peace Cradle" sculpture by Utah artist Dennis Smith (1942-). The sculpture was placed in Jordan's Park International Peace Gardens and dedicated in 1991 in memory of Lowell Turner. A second copy of the sculpture is installed in the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.