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Press release from Land and Culture USA - LAND AND CULTURE LAUNCHES 2010 CAMPAIGN

On February 6 and 7, the Union International de Organisations Terre et Culture (UIOTC)/ Land and Culture Organization (LCO) chapters from the France, United States, Armenia, United Kingdom, and Belgium met this year in Brussels, Belgium for their annual meeting, held in the offices of the European-Armenian Federation. Among the many organizational agenda items, the committee discussed the successful completion of its 2009 projects and plans for the upcoming 2010 campaign. Also during the weekend, 200 people attended a cultural event hosted by the LCO-Belgium chapter in the Haydoon in Brussels, where a presentation of LCO projects throughout the years was made.

This summer of 2010, LCO volunteers will be restoring the Church in the village of Yeghvart, in the Syunik region, on the Azeri-Armenian border. The project began in 2007 and will continue until its completion in 2010 or 2011. Yeghvart has been subject to several invasions, which has resulted in destruction of the village on a number of occasions. Despite the state of the Church, LCO initiated and organized a number of baptisms with the assistance of priests from Kapan. The remains of Prince Thoros, who was a lieutenant and friend in arms of David Beg, are found in the cemetery adjoining the Church.

During the 2009 campaign, over 30 volunteers from Armenia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States spent their summer in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh on community development projects. After several years, LCO volunteers helped in the completion the entire third floor of the Shushi Central Regional Hospital in Artsakh. The hospital serves the medical needs of the inhabitants of the Shushi region and since the cease-fire was in a state of disrepair. LCO helped to renovate patient, delivery, and surgery rooms to meet the growing medical needs of the population. In the summer of 2009, the Shushi Hospital celebrated its opening, and the first surgeries were performed by guest physicians from Armenia and France, in the renovated rooms.

Additionally, for the past several years, LCO volunteers worked in two villages in the Vardenis region of Armenia, Azad and Shatvan. Located southeast of Lake Sevan near the road that leads to Kelbajar, the villages are mainly populated by Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan. LCO-USA repaired the schoolhouses in the villages. "Before, Armenia felt quite distant to me. But living with "native" Armenians, I found a home, I found my people in a village called Azad", said 2009 volunteer Anoosh Gasparian from London. During its campaign in the village, the ruins of a 17th century church were discovered in Azad. LCO will start the restoration process of the church in 2011.

The Armenia Chapter of LCO has conducted the "Faith and Heritage" program for the last eight years. Its mission is to stimulate and encourage the youth of Armenia to safeguard and preserve, along with their Diaspora brethern, the heritage left in their care.

For over 30 years, LCO has been one of the earliest volunteer groups in Armenia and Karabakh working to restore, renovate, and rejuvenate the historical monuments and sites of our nation. It has performed this mission through its summer campaigns, by volunteers of every age from the Diaspora and Armenia.

To help our mission or join in our summer volunteer program, you may reach us at www.lcousa.org and www.landandculture.co.uk

Surgery performed by guest physicians in the renovated Shushi Hospital.

LCO volunteers renovating Yeghvart church.

Local Shatvan students celebrating with LCO volunteers renovation of their schoolhouse.

LCO UK Fundraising Evening – Armenian House, London, February 2009

To coincide with the Organisation’s AGM being held in London, the UK-based LCO team held a fundraising event which was attended by over 70 members of the community. Kegham Kevonian, the Founder of LCO, presented the Organisation’s history and growth and also explored its current projects. Guests were then treated to a recital by David Satian, the Armenian composer and jazz pianist, well known on the international music circuit. Finally, H.E. Dr. Vahe Gabrielyan, Armenia's Ambassador to the UK, encouraged the guests to donate to LCO’s projects in Armenia. The evening was a great success in promoting LCO’s ambitions and aims for the UK in 2009.

LCO UK’s AGM – Armenian House, London, February 2009

Twenty LCO delegates travelled to London for the AMG on weekend of February 28 and 29 2009. The key outcome of the meeting was deciding on the 2009 volunteer projects; including the renovation of Shushi Hospital (Karabagh) and rebuilding Azad.

Book Launch - "My Nation: The Trails & Trials of an Armenian Repatriate" Armenian House, October 2008

Arsineh Khachikian presented her excellent photographic journal to the UK Armenian community as part of her worldwide tour. Having been brought up in the American-Armenian community and re-patriating to Armenia, Arsineh has had the opportunity to visually capture many elements of Armenian life. Signed books were available for sale at the end of the evening.

For more information on Arsineh and the book see http://www.mynation.am

Volunteer’s Photo Exhibition - Gulbenkian Hall London, April 2008

LCO UK followed up the first volunteer exhibition held in 2007 with a two-day exhibition held at the Gulbenkian Hall.

'The Ottoman Armenians - The Final Images' Photography Exhibition – Menier Chocolate Factory London, April 2007

'The Ottoman Armenians - The Final Images' - a travelling exhibition which had previously been on display in the US, Argentina, France and Germany - was brought for the first time to the UK in April 2007, in collaboration with the Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide (CRAG).

The exhibition was hosted in the historic Menier Chocolate Factory, located in the London Borough of Southwark, and over the course of two weeks welcomed over 700 guests through its doors. Divided into three stages - pre, during and post Genocide – the photography served as a moving and enlightening tribute for its Armenian and non-Armenian visitors.

The closing evening was marked by speeches by H.E. Dr Vahe Gabrielyan; Mr Raffi Sarkissian, Chair of CRAG and Ms Dzovinar Khevonian of LCO. Among the guests were a number of respected historians, artists, as well as public figures such as Phil Reed, director of the Churchill Museum.

Volunteers’ Photo Exhibition - Gulbenkian Hall London and Holy Trinity Armenian Church Manchester, October 2007

This exhibition was an opportunity for LCO UK to showcase its objectives and work through the eyes of previous volunteers. Fifty unique photographs were displayed from previous projects in Armenia, Karabagh, Syria and Iran. These were also for sale and the proceeds went towards funding the 2008 projects in Armenia.

LCO UK participates in the Pan-UK Armenian Youth Conference – Manchester, April 2007

This conference was organised by MAYO (Manchester Armenian Youth Organisation) and was an opportunity for all UK-based Armenian organisations to present their objectives to a wider and new audience.