Inauguration of Oxus / Amantaytau Goldfields (AGF) Scholarship Foundation

26 June, 2008

On 26 June 2008 at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in London, the AGF / Oxus Gold Scholarship Foundation was officially inaugurated. The Foundation was established by British company Oxus Gold plc in cooperation with Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) and University of Westminster in London, The event was honoured by the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent GCVO who accepted the appointment as the first Patron of the Foundation.

The Foundation has been created to award scholarships to support undergraduate and postgraduate studies at WIUT for selected students from the Navoi Province of Uzbekistan, where AGF has its mining operations. The Foundation will also create an English Language Learning Centre in Zarafshan, the local town to AGF's operations, in order to teach English to local students and also to improve the English language teaching skills of the local teachers. WIUT will manage the Learning Centre.

In his opening speech, Ambassador Akbarov welcomed guests and underlined the importance of this initiative, started in the Year of Youth in Uzbekistan. He pointed out the vital importance of measures aimed at the development of educational sphere in Uzbekistan and supported this Oxus Gold’s initiative. “I believe it is just a first step, which will be followed by many others”, - he concluded.      

In his speech, HRH Prince Michael of Kent commented "President Karimov has dedicated 2008 as the Year of the Youth. It is a sign that the Uzbek Government takes the education of its young people very seriously and contributes a generous proportion of its GDP to the improvement of the educational system. As Patron of the Amantaytau Goldfields/Oxus Gold Scholarship Foundation, I am delighted that I can play a role within this educational system as Uzbekistan looks to the future". He handed over to Ambassador a letter addressed to the President of Uzbekistan.

Chief Executive Officer of Oxus Gold Mr. Richard Wilkins endorsed the Prince's comments, adding "I am proud that we are able to make a real contribution to support young Uzbeks at this particular time. I am also sure that the Foundation will play a valuable role in the ongoing social and cultural exchange between Great Britain and Uzbekistan."

The inauguration was attended by many honoured guests, in particular the President and the First Lady of Iceland, the Mayor of London’s Kensington and Chelsea Royal Borough, Rector of WIUT and many prominent representatives of business and diplomatic circles.

Ambassador Akbarov and Prince Michael of Kent	Prince Michael of Kent, President of Iceland HE Mr. Olafur Grimsson and First Lady Mrs. Dorrit Moussaieff
CEO of Oxus Gold Mr. Wilkins and Rector of WIUT Dr. Abduvahitov