Rich need tax benefits to be must be interested in supporting culture - Ruben Babayan

Facilitating the private sector’s help to cultural events requires relevant amendments to laws, which would envisage tax benefits to companies or individuals supporting medical, cultural or educational institutions, Ruben Babayan, Art Director of the Hovhannnes Tumanyan Puppet Theater, told Tert.am.

“We have a problem of civilization because supporting culture, education or healthcare must become an intrinsic duty,” Mr Babayan said.

According to him, different countries employ different methods of involving the private sector in cultural life.

“When a wealthy person owes his wealthy to society, he repays to it. But when they owe their wealth to an individual rather than to society, he repays to that individual. So we must change this system for our wealthy people support this society in presenting its education and culture to the world,” Mr Babayan said.

Armenia’s cultural workers are not begging for money for their personal purposes. They are seeking aid to participate in international cultural festivals.

To participate in the 29th international film festival “Stage Lightening” (in France), the theater applied to numerous organizations.

“We addressed numerous letters to different organizations and received refusals from two of them, while others ignored our applications. In any case, we were presenting Armenia and Armenian culture,” Mr Babayan said.

As to whether competitive advantages in the West attract Armenian young people, he said:

“This is our country and we must make it pleasing to live in. and it is young people who must do it. One passing along the road covers a distance. Those choosing this profession must realiae they have another mission besides getting rich and living a prosperous life.”