November 7, 2009 - 20:52 AMT
Grand opening of Cafesjian Center for the Arts takes place in Yerevan
Cafesjian Cultural Center for the Arts was inaugurated November 7 in Yerevan. The opening ceremony was attended by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, minister of culture Hasmik Poghosyan, minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions in Armenia, artists and political figures.

"I am very pleased such a modern center for culture in Armenia established, the center may surprise connoisseurs of art, as well as any person of any nationality," minister of culture Hasmik Poghosyan said at the opening ceremony.

People's architect Jim Torosyan, the author of the Cascade, which housed Cafesjian Center for the Arts, expressed his satisfaction with the opening of the center saying that the Cascade has found a new breath with the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

"The significance of the work of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan is obvious today, however we attain its importance more and more with every other day," Raffi Hovhannisian, Heritage party leader said.

Cafesjian Museum Foundation was established in April 2002 in Yerevan under the auspices of the RA Government and the Cafesjian Museum Foundation of America. The Armenian government provided the Foundation with an half-constructed "Cascade" complex with the surrounding area. Gerard L. Cafesjian is American businessman of Armenian origin, founder of the Cafesjian Museum Foundation of America, invested 35 million dollars to complete the reconstruction of Cascade and donate his art collection to the Armenian people.