The announcement ceremony took place at Brevnovsky Klaster, hosted by Jan Brazda, Country Manager, American Express Czech Republic. Also in attendance was Livia Klausova, wife of Czech President Vaclav Klaus. Among other distinguished guests, there were top officials in government and culture as well as representatives from foreign embassies in Prague.

A unique Baroque fortress built by Hapsburg Emperor Josef II between 1780 and 1790, Terezin comprises a town of 400 hectares enclosed by a bastion-type fortification. A main fortress is complemented by a small fortress, and by upper and lower entrenchments built of brick. Terezin has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most unusual planned ghettos and deportation centers for Jews sent on to concentration and extermination camps in World War II. Today, it stands as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust in Central Europe. While small-scale conservation efforts undertaken during the past two decades have addressed localized areas of the vast Terezin complex, this $100,000 grant from American Express will be devoted to developing a comprehensive conservation plan to prevent further deterioration of the site.

American Express is a founding sponsor of WMF's World Monuments Watch program, created in 1995 to draw attention to and ensure the preservation of imperiled historic, artistic and architectural sites worldwide. American Express's ten-year, $10 million commitment to this program has enabled WMF to leverage millions of dollars of additional funding from local and international government agencies, global corporations, foundations and individuals, and has encouraged new preservation activism worldwide.

Every other year, the World Monuments Fund invites governments and non-governmental organizations around the world to nominate endangered sites for inclusion on the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. WMF then convenes an independent panel of experts who are leaders in the fields of archaeology, architecture, art history, and historic preservation to review the hundreds of nominations and select for inclusion on the list the most compelling sites.

“Since 1996, American Express has made nearly $8 million in grants to 100 sites in 52 countries through the World Monuments Watch. We understand how critically important it is to save these cultural landmarks, because they reflect the essence of communities that date far back into the collective history of humankind,” said Jan Brazda, country manager, American Express Czech Republic. “At the same time, they are a great source of local pride, and by attracting visitors from all over they world, they promote a global understanding of that history.”

Speaking from WMF headquarters in New York, Bonnie Burnham, President of World Monuments Fund said, “One of the keys to the success of the Watch is the awareness it raises on a national or international level. In many cases, local organizations have been working for years to position an important project that needs additional support from outside the community. The recognition of the Watch program helps attract government attention, and opens the door to expanded partnerships among the corporate sector, international nonprofit organizations, and local champions of the site. In the case of Terezin Fortress we are delighted to be working with the State Institute for the Care of Historical Monuments, and we are grateful for the support of American Express.”

Since its inception in 1995, the World Monuments Fund's Watch program has awarded 315 grants totaling nearly $26.3 million to aid 157 sites in 64 countries. An estimated $58.4 million more has been leveraged directly to the sites from governments, businesses, individuals and institutions for an estimated total of $84.7 million. Other sites from the 2002 List in the Czech Republic that have received American Express grants include: the Cesky Krumlov Garden, the Lednice and Valtice Villages and the Kuks Forest Sculptures.

Founded in 1965, the World Monuments Fund is the foremost private, non-profit organization devoted to onsite conservation of monuments and sites worldwide.

American Express Company is a global travel, financial and network services provider. Founded in 1850, the company provides individuals with charge and credit cards, Traveler's Cheques and other stored value products. It also offers financial planning, brokerage services, mutual funds, insurance and other investment products.