Friday, September 16 2016 16:00

ArmInfo. On September 16, 2016, U.S.  Ambassador to Armenia Richard M. Mills, Jr. and acting Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosian jointly announced new funding from the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to restore and preserve St. Sargis Church in Meghri, a gem of Armenia's cultural  heritage, according to the U.S. Embassy press-office.

St. Sargis is an outstanding example of the unique Persian-Armenian  style of design. The style and sophistication of its interior  frescoes, which borrow from late medieval Christian and Persian  iconography and illustrate a cross-cultural blending of sacred  depiction that is unique to the region, are unmatched in the Caucasus  and Middle East.  The structure of the church is in urgent need of  preservation, as are the frescoes it houses.

"With its exquisite frescoes, St. Sargis Church is a true treasure  for Armenia and for the world.  The U.S. government is strongly  committed to the restoration and preservation of this and other  historical monuments and artifacts in Armenia, which is richly  blessed in cultural heritage," Ambassador Mills said.  

Acting Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan in turn thanked the American  side for continuous assistance in the preservation of the cultural  heritage of Armenia.  In her words, Armenia has many cultural  monuments that need to be restored, but the country's budget is not  sufficient for their restoration, while such projects help restoring  the cultural and historical monuments within short period of time.   Hasmik Poghosyan said the restoration activities will be launched  this year and will continue until 2018.  The project of Saint Sargis  church's restoration will cost $450,000 and the amount has been  provided already. 

Since its approval by the U.S. Congress in 2000, the U.S.  Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation has awarded $55 million  in support of more than 870 projects in over 125 countries,  partnering with host country governments and cultural organizations  to help conserve cultural sites, objects, and forms of traditional  cultural expression that represent an important legacy for all  humanity. 

Working in partnership with the Armenian Ministry of Culture and  local NGOs that care deeply about Armenia's unique cultural heritage,  the U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) has  funded ten cultural preservation projects in Armenia since 2005, for  a total of $935,000. In addition to the new grant for St. Sargis  Church, ongoing projects include the restoration of Hakob Hakobyan's  "In the Mountains/Milkmen" mural in Gyumri and important works to  safeguard significant archaeological finds in the Areni Cave.  Past  projects include the mapping and cataloguing of items at the Noratus  medieval cemetery and its collection of khachkars, the preservation  of a medieval masonry bridge in the Garni Gorge, and the  documentation of traditional Armenian music and dance. 

The announcement of this newest AFCP grant comes during the U.S.  Embassy's month- long focus on tourism. Projects such as the  restoration of St. Sargis not only have a valuable role in conserving  cultural heritage for the benefit of present and future generations,  but also boost tourism and related industries, as these sites hold  powerful appeal for both local and international visitors.

"St. Sargis is an outstanding example of the historical and cultural  sites on offer in rural Armenia. By working with our Armenian  partners to restore this magnificent church, as well as other  monuments and cultural artifacts throughout Armenia, we continue to  help to promote tourism in the regions, which can boost economic  development," Ambassador Mills emphasized.