About the project

Abandoned and ruined churches, monasteries, dwelling caves from the Middle Ages, graveyards or prehistoric cult sites…Throughout remote areas in the South Caucasus one can find a large number of neglected cultural assets, that are in deep need of care and attention. Under the slogan “Crossing borders to save, preserve and care” this issue is currently addressed by the SOS Culture project which was launched in January 2012 by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). 

With an overall duration of 24 months, the SOS Culture project is funded by the European Union within the framework of the Eastern Partnership Culture Program and is implemented by FPWC in cooperation with the dvv international – Georgia Country office and Research on Armenian Architecture Foundation. The overall EU contribution to SOS Culture project is 492,754 Euro.

The overall objective of the project is to register and preserve endangered cultural assets in the remote border regions of Armenia and Georgia with the involvement of local citizenry. Involvement of local communities will in its turn promote economic, social and cultural development in the areas, covered by the project. 

The approach of the SOS Culture project is rooted in the idea that well preserved and explored historic sites have a tremendous positive influence on the creation of an environment, which nurtures sustainable economic, social and human development in remote and impoverished regions, making those regions attractive for tourists. 

SOS Culture relies on the active involvement of youths (age 14 -23) from different national and ethnic origins living in the target areas of Armenia and Georgia. The young people participate in protection and research activities, implemented in the vicinity of their villages. These activities include cultural assets of different origins and religions, as well as pre-historic sites and medieval architectural monuments. By doing this, the project underlines that “Cultural assets belong to everybody”: regardless of nationality, religious faith or language, people living nearby a monument should care and preserve. This instils a new approach and knowledge about local cultural assets among the members of the youth clubs, established by FPWC and its Georgian project partner dvv international. Participating in the project activities, the members of the youth clubs support the cultural and touristic development of their regions. 

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Latest News

4th SunChild International Environmental Festival

The film screenings in the frames of 4th SunChild International Environmental Festival was organized for the youth club members of SOS Culture project implemented by the Foundation for Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets. The members of Alaverdi, Akhtala, Berdavan and Varagavan youth clubs of SOS Culture project watched the films with great enthusiasm and participated in the discussions. The films made by the participants were also listed among the films of the festival. They were tel[more]


4th SunChild Environmental Festival

On October 18, the Youth Film Awards within the 4th SunChild Environmental Film Festival took place at the “Ani Plaza” hotel, where four films were presented by the children of the SOS Culture project’s youth clubs. All the films were truly very good, and the kids approached the topics with care, wishing to show the cultural and environmental issues of their communities through the films. The film “Old Town,” made by members of SOS Culture project’s Akhtala youth club, was awarded a “special me[more]


This End is a New Beginning!

The official closing ceremony of the EU founded SOS Culture project took place in the Ani hall of Ani Plaza hotel on October 18th, 2013. During this event the project presented its work and achievements during 24 months of its existence, which were mainly on the preservation of cultural assets and on activating the youth from the beneficiary communities and involving them into the advocacy activities. The representatives of the EU, project partners and also the beneficiaries of the project were [more]


Invitation to the Official Closing Ceremony of SOS Culture Project

The Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) cordially invites you to attend the official closing ceremony of its EU funded SOS Culture project, which will take place on October 18th at 14:00 o’clock in Ani Plaza Hotel, Ani Hall. During the event the project results will be presented: screenings of the films made by the youth, exhibition, project website and blogs, and many other things made by the youth from border regions will positively surprise you.


Our Successes

The SOS Culture project for the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets experienced yet another achievement. An application was submitted by the project team to the "World Monument Fund” to include the Bardzrakarsh St. Gregory Monastery of the Lori region in the world cultural heritage preservation program. We are proud to announce that "The World Monument Watch" has approved the application and that the monastery is included in the 2014 World Monuments Wat[more]