PRESS RELEASE
The Paros Foundation
918 Parker Street, A14
Berkeley, CA 94710
Contact: Peter Abajian
Tel: 310-400-9061
E-mail: pabajian@gmail.com
Web:
MUSEUM GIFT SHOP OPENS IN VANADZOR
Proceeds to benefit Vanadzor Museum and local artists
Vanadzor, Armenia – On Friday, July 3, the Vanadzor Museum of Fine Arts
() hosted the opening of their new Museum Gift Shop.
The Gift Shop was dedicated in the memory of Angela and Karekin
Barsoumian (Allepo – Los Angeles) by their families and friends, who
travelled to attend the ceremony from the United States and Lebanon.
`My mother and father had a strong passion for Armenian arts and would
be very proud to know that thanks to the support of their family and
friends, we were able to create a venue for Artists in the Lori Region
to sell their art work and support their families. I am so pleased
that the proceeds from this store will solely benefit the Museum and
the artists.’ Said Houry Barsoumian Abajian.
Following the short opening ceremony, students from Music School #3 in
Vanadzor performed a short concert at the Museum featuring students
playing traditional instruments and dancing.
`Today’s opening is of great benefit to the Lori Region, Vanadzor and
our Museum,’ said Papag Aloyan, Director of the Vanadzor Museum of
Fine Arts. `Both tourists and our local visitors now have the
opportunity to purchase local arts and crafts. We are very grateful
to the Paros Foundation and to the family and friends of Angela and
Karekin Barsoumian who made this all possible.’
The Paros Foundation () coordinated the
project with the Museum and the family to facilitate and oversee the
construction and opening of the Gift Shop. The Gift Shop will serve
many purposes including supporting the local economy by promoting
tourism in the Lori Region, providing local artisans and artists an
additional venue to promote sales of their artwork and crafts, and
supporting the Museum itself.
`I would like to thank the Mayor’s office, the Museum and its staff
and the family and friends of Angela and Karekin Barsoumian for
supporting this project.’ Said, Peter Abajian, Executive Director of
the Paros Foundation. `The addition of the Museum Gift Shop here at
the Vanadzor Museum is another step towards our overall goal of
attracting visitors to Vanadzor and the Lori Region. I am very
pleased that we successfully implemented a project such as this and I
am hopeful other families will see the value and benefit of such an
effort and consider The Paros Foundation as the conduit to implement
their own project in Hayastan.’
The Paros Foundation () is a Berkeley-based
private 501(c)3 foundation. The Paros Foundation has identified and
works with six organizations in Armenia involving the arts, children
and people with disabilities, which serve as leaders within their
respective fields. Foundation support comes in the form of
organizational funds, quality office space and operational mentoring.
The goal of the Foundation is to invest in these organizations to help
them attract other partners and sponsors for their important and
innovative work. The Foundation provides families and individuals
with a cost-effective and easy way of implementing their own small
projects in Armenia via the Foundation and its presence in Armenia.