British Royals to help fundraise for Yerevan preservation

Armenian President, Catholicos to join event at Windsor Castle

Published: Thursday February 04, 2010

View of Windsor Castle.

"Yerevan My Love" building view after projected restoration . Courtesy image

London - "Yerevan My Love" revitalisation project and Dumphries House restoration project will be launched at a historic gala concert and banquet at Windsor Castle on 10th February, hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Charles and Professor Armen Sarkissian.

"Our goal is to preserve historically significant architectural and cultural heritage and to engender urban development that focuses on community building," explained Armen V. Sarkissian, former Prime Minister of Armenia and initiator of the fundraising, who has been closely working with HRH The Prince of Wales and his charities.

With a history spanning almost 1000 years, Windsor is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen.

This unprecedented event in British-Armenian relations and unique evening of celebration and appreciation is hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales.  Prince Charles has been a visionary leader in creating highly impactful charitable projects and heritage preserving initiatives throughout Great Britain. His host of charities reflect The Prince of Wales's long-term and innovative perspective, and seek to address areas of previously unmet need. They include projects dedicated to designing, planning and building in an environmentally sustainable way to building high impact social enterprises.

Joining currently serving and former heads of state, world renowned political, cultural and civic leaders, and high level corporate leaders will be the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serge Sargsyan, the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Garegin II, Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan and Armenia's Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan.

The evening at Windsor will start with a concert, featuring conductor Valery Gergiev, mezzo-soprano Dariga Nazarbayeva (Almaty), violinist Mikhail Simonyan (New York) and the Philharmonia Orchestra (London), conducted by young artist Sergey Smbatyan (Yerevan) of the National Youth Orchestra of Armenia. 

"Yerevan My Love" is a heritage-led revitalisation project, combining high social impact programs. It's an ambitious charitable project with two main goals:

Restore and reconstruct: to safeguard and restore the historic districts of Yerevan and coordinate efforts to save the artistic and architectural heritage of this 3000-year-old capital city, its traditions and neighbourhoods. To restore historic buildings and adapt them for new and vibrant uses; but above all, to put people, their living conditions and their quality of life at the centre of planning.

Social impact: to improve the education and life experience of children and young people, especially orphans and those who come from disadvantaged communities; to help children and youth with social and health disadvantages and to assist them in gaining confidence and independence in the "normal" world.

The current fundraising will support two main charitable projects:  Yerevan My Love regeneration project and Dumphries House in South-West Scotland.

The "Yerevan My Love" project involves the reconstruction and restoration of four historically and architecturally significant buildings: two of them will be in Yerevan's Kond district and two in the centre.

Once completed and fully furnished with all the necessary facilities and equipment, one of the Kond buildings will be used to house a kindergarten for deaf and mute children and youth from socially deprived families and the other will serve as a centre for single mothers with children. The other two buildings in the centre will become a school for ethnographic instruments for socially and economically deprived children and youth.  The school will be run by world famous master duduk player Jivan Gasparyan, who was an orphan himself and grew up under the care and tutelage of musicians and artists of his time.

The reconstructed buildings and the programs housed in them will be put under the administration and management of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin. The Armenian Apostolic Church has extensive experience and human resources in running charitable institutions and programs throughout Armenia.

Dumphries House in South-West Scotland is one of the most architecturally significant houses in Britain.   It was built between 1754 and 1759 by the Adam brothers for the fifth Earl of Dumfries, and is recognised as the finest architectural commission in the early years of their partnership.  It also retains, remarkably, much of the original furniture.  The House represents one of the most important interiors in the United Kingdom.  

In acquiring the House and its contents for the nation, His Royal Highness' intention was not only to give people the opportunity to visit and enjoy the art, craftsmanship and beauty, but also to use saving the House as an engine for economic regeneration in the local area, and to provide a model in this respect to be adopted elsewhere.

Connect: "Yerevan My Love" and Dumphries House Charity Projects Tel. +44 207 828 2883 E-mail: events@eurasiahouse.com