News Article

The Cathedral Church of St. Michael in Coventry, England; the historic center of Brazil’s Salvador de Bahia; and the earthquake-ravaged city of Sawara, Japan, are among World Monuments Fund sites that will share a $1 million restoration grant from American Express Foundation.

The other sites are the Ruta de la Amistad in Mexico City, 22 sculptures created for the 1968 Olympic Games; the Canterbury Provincial Government Buildings in Christchurch, New Zealand; and the fragile Balaji Ghat in Varanasi, India.

“It’s a great boost to have corporate support for the World Monuments Watch,” WMF President Bonnie Burnham said by phone. “The visibility of these grants will make the public more aware of the importance of saving these buildings and sites.”