"Erebuni" Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve will have a new building, equipped with new technologies. John D &SosiBalian Foundation in cooperation with IDeA Foundation, Erebuni Museum, and Yerevan Municipality will implement its first venture philanthropy project in Armenia. Letter of Intent was signed between parties a couple of days ago.   

 

“Yerevan Mayor’s Office is currently taking consistent steps to modernize cultural centers and present them with innovative solutions. Naturally, the municipal budget will not be enough for this, which is why we use all the toolsets to find investors who will be interested in Armenia and Armenian culture and who are ready to invest in development of the Armenian culture. MrBalian responded.This is also his spouse’s dream to invest in cultural life of Armenia”, noted Deputy Yerevan Mayor TigranVirabyan. 

 

Very impressed by the UWC Dilijan and the “Wings of Tatev” aerial tramway, the aspiring Venture Philanthropists approached the IDeA Foundation in early 2018 to explore a collaboration. After evaluating several options and various formats, Dr. and Mrs. Balian decided to implement 2 immediate projects, one of which is complete overhaul, modernization, and substantial expansion of the Erebuni Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve. 

 

The exhibition hall will be equipped with modern AR/VR technologies that shall demonstrate the visitors different areas of Yerevan’s history. John D. Balian has arrived in Yerevan with a large team of architects and constructors. In cooperation with the Head Architect of Yerevan they aim to create a project that will be a combination of the old and new.

 

 “Sosi,my wife,  and I are investing in the future of Armenia while preserving its past. Our goal is to see the Armenian people’s history and culture deservedly presented to the world. By blending history and modern technologies, the museum will become even more attractive for the youth and for all visitors, irrespective of nationality and interests. We are sure that the project implementation will multiply the number of the museum visitors thus ensuring sustainability and development of this most important institution”, said Dr. Balian. 

 

“My dream is that within a couple of years we will be able to visit the revitalized and modernized Erebuni Historical museum and Reserve in Yerevan which I am sure will give a new breath and a second life to this important institution”, stressedGagikGyurjian,the Director of the Erebuni Museum.

 

“I am sure that this large investment will help us attract additional visitors to Yerevan and Erebuni Museum in particular. We expect the design elements and blueprints to be available by this summer.” stressed the Director of the Erebuni Museum.

 

“This is a new approach, since Armenia does not have a museum with a virtual exhibition hall. By creating this in Erebuni, we shall truly give the museum a new life. I am positive that this investment will lead to a drastic growth of tourists to Yerevan and especially Erebuni Museum. We hope that the design works will commance this summer and in a year or two the new hall will be complete, which I think will be the new beginning for the museum”, - noted TigranVirabyan.

Thanking the Balians for their foresight and their generosity, TigranVirabyan stressed that the municipality is ready to support the implementation of such projects and any investor can be assured that the invested amount will fully serve its purpose. 

 

About John D. and SosiBalian

SosiBalian’s family originates from the Adana region where her great-grandfather was a major industrialist and landowner including the lands where currently the US Military Base in Incirlik (Adana) is based. During the Genocide most of the family members lost their lives in a brutal manner by the orders of the Turkish government. Remnant survivors of the family eventually landed in Egypt and built their life and livelihood in Cairo. They became notable and very successful photographers and Jewelers there. Due to the love and yearning for the homeland, in 1968 they left everything behind and repatriated to Soviet Armenia. SosiBalian was born in Gumri and raised in Yerevan. In 1986 the family immigrated to the United States. SosiBalian’s family is suing the Turkish Government to regain ownership of their lands in Adana.

 

John DikranBalian, a physician and a corporate Executive that has established two companies in Yerevan with sizable employment of experts, was born to parents of no education and no means in a remote village in Anatolia near Diyarbakir (Dikranagerd), Western Armenia. Very early in childhood he faced unimaginable adversities that propelled him into a life of destitution. He wandered, as a refugee and fugitive, through several Middle Eastern and European countries. Despite the cruel twists of fate, he eventually reached America, the land of opportunity, because of his own fighting spirit and survival instincts, and, the help and kindness of an American-Armenian, Lily V. Missirlian.

 

Dr. Balian’s experiences are the epitome of the immigrant story and the American Dream. His life story is the basis of the inspirational and motivational account of his first novel Gray Wolves and White Doves. In April 2011 he released this thriller based on actual events in the USA, and Westland-TATA Publishing launched the book in India in December 2012 to great success and acclaim. The book is translated into Armenian and Chinese, and both translations are pending publication.

 

 

  -   Press release