YEREVAN — A memorandum of cooperation has been officially signed between Armenia's Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (MoESCS) and tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Davit Tonoyan to preserve and restore the historic Havuts Tar monastic complex in the country’s Kotayk Province.

The agreement was signed by MoESCS Deputy Minister Alfred Kocharyan and Tonoyan, the founder of dot818 and a key financial backer of the SIREH organization (Center for the Study, Preservation, and Enhancement of Armenian Cultural Heritage). Kocharyan praised the initiative as an exemplary model of public-private partnership aimed at safeguarding the country's legacy.

The Preservation Framework

Under the agreement, state oversight will merge with private initiative to stabilize the structural integrity of the complex:

• The Benefactor's Role: Davit Tonoyan will fund comprehensive architectural studies and the preparation of design and cost-estimate documentation.
• The Ministry's Role: The MoESCS will review all scientific data through its Scientific-Methodological Council, issue regulatory guidance, and grant the official permits required for physical restoration.

About Havuts Tar and SIREH's Work

Dating from the 11th to 13th centuries, Havuts Tar was once a flourishing medieval educational center and scriptorium, heavily ruined by a devastating earthquake in 1679. The walled complex features the impressive Amenaprkich (All-Savior) Church, alongside a cluster of chapels and intricately carved khachkars (stone crosses).

The new agreement formalizes and expands upon groundwork already laid by SIREH at the site. The heritage organization has previously conducted advanced technical workshops and 3D topographic surveys to map the structural vulnerabilities of the endangered ruins. Tonoyan’s financial backing will now allow these engineering and architectural studies to transition into actionable, state-approved restoration phases.