U.S. AMBASSADOR TO PRESENT GRANTS FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION IN UKRAINE

On September 26, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William B. Taylor will participate in a signing ceremony for two Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation grants at 2:00 pm at the State Academy of Senior Specialists of Culture and Arts, Conference Hall, 21 Sichnevoho Povstannia, Building 15, 2nd floor.

The Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, created by the U.S. Congress in 2001, aims to assist other countries in preserving museum collections, ancient and historic sites, and traditional forms of expression. In 2006, preservation awards will support 87 projects from 76 countries.

"When establishing the Ambassador’s Fund, Congress emphasized that U.S. efforts in preserving the heritage of other cultures demonstrate America’s appreciation and respect for those cultures," said the U.S. Department of State’s Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina Habib Powell. "Over the past six years, the Fund has awarded 379 preservation grants in 108 countries, illustrating our commitment to helping people around the world preserve and protect their rich cultural traditions."

The Ambassador’s Fund projects represent the heritage of all geographic regions in the world, including two from Ukraine:

• Restoration of the roof of the historic St. Nikolas wooden church in the Transcarpathian village of Kolodne
• Excavation of the Cossack fortification Mykytynska Sich buried beneath the town of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Cultural Heritage Center administers the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. Through a range of cultural preservation activities, the Bureau promotes cooperation with other countries to reduce the threat of pillage of irreplaceable cultural heritage, and to develop long-term strategies for preserving cultural property.

Journalists are invited to cover the signing ceremony. For additional information, please contact the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section at 490-4090 or 490-4129.