US AMBASSADOR Nicholas Burns and his wife Libby Baylies-Burns held a press conference at their residence in Athens yesterday to increase awareness of an eight-million dollar fundraising drive to build a new state-of-the-art Fine and Performing Arts Centre for the American Community School of Athens (ACS). The ambassador is the new chair of the fundraising committee.

The Fine and Performing Arts Centre, according to Burns, will continue a long ACS tradition of support for fine and performing arts. The centre will be built with the latest technology and will serve the educational and cultural needs of ACS students and the Athens community. The 600- to 800-seat 3,000sqm theatre will be available for musical and theatrical performances of public and private organisations, festivals of local and international interest, conferences, art exhibitions, seminars and other similar events.

"I will be inviting a significant group of Greek politicians, business people and community leaders to participate in the committee with my wife and with myself," Ambassador Burns told reporters. "I am looking forward to meeting with them. I think that this will be an ambitious effort that will cost several million US dollars but I know that we will get there."

The first fundraising event will be a gala concert by tenor Jose Carreras at the Irodion theatre on July 5. Proceeds from the concert, which is entirely sponsored by Mytilineos Holdings SA, will go towards the project.

The initial architectural designs were donated to the school by Papadatos Associates of New York. According to Libby Baylies-Burns, the president of the school board, a network of development partners consisting of Greek and American businesses that sponsor different events at the school or offer services or goods has been formed over the last couple of years. The construction of the fine and performing arts centre is the most "ambitious project ever". For more information about the Jose Carreras concert call Poly Chryssanthakopoulos, assistant to the development superintendent, at 639-3200, ext 200. Carreras will be accompanied by the renowned soprano Isabel Ray and David Gimenez will conduct the orchestra.

Copyright © 2000 ATHENS NEWS S.A.