The Surb Gevorg Church Complex Project Tbilisi Project Report 2016 Financial Year (July 2015 June 2016) 1
Misson Introduction To The Project Dear Friends, We would like to present you with report for the Surb Gevorg Church Complex project for the 2015-2016 financial year (from 1 July 2015 to 20 June 2016) one of the IDeA (Initiatives for the Development of Armenia) Foundation s marquee projects. The report details which elements of the project were implemented over the period, what still needs to be done and information on the events that have taken place at the cathedral complex. The key achievement highlighted in the report for this period is the completion of the restoration of Surb Gevorg Church, as well as the opening ceremony which took place with the participation of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the First Hierarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church Garegin II, President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Bidzina Ivanishvili as well as other dignitaries. The main objective of the second phase of our project is to establish a cultural and educational complex, which would focus the cultural and spiritual life of the Armenian community in Georgia. Some important steps have been taken in the past year to achieve this goal including the acquisition of new premises in neighbouring buildings and reaching agreements for the use of other adjacent areas. This all contributes to the creation of cultural and educational complex on the territory around the church, which will include, specifically, a Centre for the centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and Georgian peoples, an educational centre, a museum and an art gallery. With the support of the Georgian authorities, an irrevocable right to usage was obtained for the courtyard adjacent to the cathedral. A preliminary design for a park has been created, which will be presented to the donors for their approval. Meanwhile, work is still being undertaken on a number of commercial projects, which are designed to provide a source of income for the cathedral complex and the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The second phase of the Surb Gevorg Church Complex project will last until 2020. In order to successfully complete all our plans and to revive the former importance of the unique Tiflis church, make it a jewel of Tbilisi Old Town and a centre of cultural and spiritual revival in the coming years, we still have a great deal of work to do. Thank you for taking part in this project. We would like to stress that our ambitious charitable initiative has only become possible due to the support provided by you. Yours Sincerely, Edgar Manukyan CEO of IDeA Foundation 4
Goals & Objectives OF THE PROJECT The Goal The goal of the Surb Gevorg Church Complex project is for the cathedral to take its place at the heart of the cultural and spiritual life of the Armenian community in Georgia. Objectives 1. Restore the ancient Surb Gevorg Cathedral Church as a vital part of Tbilisi Old Town. 2. Develop the infrastructure around the Cathedral: create a museum, library, cultural-educational complex, Sunday school, reception house, restoration workshops, souvenir shops and artistic salons. Through these objectives, Surb Gevorg will become more valuable to the local Armenian community, the inhabitants of Tbilisi and also tourists 6
Project overview numbers Project start 2012 /09 Overall cost $ 7 500 000 Number of donors 20 Funds raised $ 5 564 089 Funds spent to date $ 5 106 806 Project end 2020 Money still needed $ 1 935 911 8
Project development stages Stage 1: The restoration of the ancient Surb Gevorg (Saint George) Cathedral as a vital part of Tbilisi Old Town Started: 2012 Completed: 31 october 2015 marked by a ceremony for the reconsecration of the Cathedral Budget: $4 672 032 Engineering and 3D surveying of the entire building was performed. Strengthened the foundations and the church drum, reinforced the walls, put waterproofing in place. Completed the restoration of the cathedral s 1090 m2 frescoes with the help of a renowned Italian restorer, professor Fabrizio Iacopini. Installation of architectural lighting of the church and adjoining territory. Project approved by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia. Stage 2. Development of the infrastructure on the territory adjoining the Cathedral. Creation of an Armenian cultural-educational complex in Georgia Started: 2015 Completed: 2020 Budget: $2 827 968 Conduct a feasibility study of the planned projects and buildings. Open a Centre for the centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and Georgian peoples under the auspices of the Cathedral. Implement non-commercial projects, including culturaleducational centre. Implement commercial projects, which in the future will be the main source of finance supporting the cultural-educational centre and will assist the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. 10
Results & Achievements From the Second stage of the work Nearby buildings with an area of 150 m2 have been acquired. Currently, the St. Gevorg Church Reconstruction Fund owns 22 buildings with an overall area of 1068 m2. The fund will continue to buy up another 1432 m2. The Sayat-Nova souvenir shop has moved to new refurbished premises. Deed of easement agreed with Meydan Group on the transfer to the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the parking spaces in the courtyard of the Cathedral. A decision has been taken to turn this area into a public garden. Developed concept of a picture gallery in the courtyard of the church (the former location of the Sayat-Nova souvenir shop). Work underway on the conception and business plan for the cultural-educational complex adjoining the Surb Gevorg territory. 12
Events of the project On the first of June 2016, on Children s Day, a children s art competition was held in the courtyard of Surb Gevorg called I draw the old town. Over 50 children took part in the competition with the entrants coming from various nationalities. Prizes included a trip to Armenia, which featured a visit to UWC Dilijan, TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, the National History Museum, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan, the Yerevan Children s Railway and other attractions. For the first anniversary of the opening of Surb Gevorg, on 29 October 2016, a charity sale of the best 25 pictures from the I draw the old town competition was held. All the proceeds from the event were donated to Centre for Children with Limited Health Abilities in Kojori, Georgia. 14
Financial indicators of the project 35,7 % 19,2 % 25,5 % 8,4 % % of total Restoration of frescoes $ 1 825 179 Acquiring neighbouring buildings $ 1 303 453 Construction works $ 983 251 Generaland administrative expenses $ 428 645 4,6 % 3,6 % 1,2 % 1,1 % 0,7 % Donations to AAC (including the acquisition of the apartment of the writer Hovhannes Tumanyan) $ 233 000 Opening ceremony, marketing and PR expenses $181 822 Surveying and engineering design $ 59 463 Landscaping and architectural lighting $ 55 750 Repairs, fitting-out the Bishops residence $ 36 243 10 0 % = Total $ 5106 806 16
Main objectives for next year Purchase space in adjoining buildings. Carry out engineering surveys in newly purchased spaces/ buildings. Begin the project to strengthen, waterproof, repair the acquired spaces/ buildings. Development, approval and adoption of the plan for the cultural-educational complex. 18
We are sincerely grateful to all the donors to the surb gevorg church COMPLEX project Distinguished Donors Albert Avdolyan Danil Khachaturov Sergey Sarkisov and Rusudan Makhashvili Vardanyan Family Donors Ameriabank Artur Amirkhanyan Ara Bagdasaryan Davidyants Family Armine Ghazaryan IDeA Foundation Team Bidzina Ivanishvili Arman Jilavian Armais Kamalov Artashes and Anahit Kazakhetsyan Irina Kondratova Eleonora Malkhasyan Konstantin Markaryan Andrew Mkrtchyan Boris and Gor Nakhapetyan RVVZ Foundation Team David Yakobashvili We are also incredibly thankful for the support of those donors who wish to remain anonymous 20
Bank details for donations For payments in USD CITI BANK NA, New York, USA SWIFT: CITIUS33XXX BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 or or BENEFICIARY S BANK BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME or VTB BANK VIETNAM SWIFT: VRBAVNVX JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX IBAN: GE41VT6600005656593608 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, UBS AG ZURICH, Switzerland New York, USA SWIFT: UBSWCHZH80A SWIFT: CHASUS33 BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX SWIFT: UGEBGE22 BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 or JSC VTB BANK, MOSCOW SWIFT: VTBRRUMM C/A: 30111840855550000064 BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 For payments in EUR VTB BANK DEUTSCHLAND AG, Frankfurt, Germany SWIFT: OWHBDEFF BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 22 For payments in RUB JSC VTB BANK, MOSCOW, RUSSIA Correspondent account: 30101810700000000187 RCBIC: 044525187 BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) Identification Code: 202906427 C/A: 30111810855550000052RUR BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608 or JSC VTB BANK, MOSCOW SWIFT: VTBRRUMM BENEFICIARY S BANK JSC VTB Bank (Georgia) SWIFT: UGEBGE22XXX BENEFICIARY S ACCOUNT IBAN: ACCOUNT HOLDER/NAME GE41VT6600005656593608