Awards and Media Recognition for Alain Rouveure

Todenham, Near Moreton-in-Marsh
Gloucestershire, GL56 9NU, England

telephone: 01608 650418
email: alain@alainrouveure.com

Alain Rouveure Awards

October 2000

On 7 October 2000, Mr Phunstog Wangyal, director of Tibet Foundation of Great Britain (Patron His Holiness The Dalai Lama), presented Alain Rouveure with the gift of a
sand "Mandala of the Buddha of Medicine", "…in appreciation of his support for
Tibetan culture".

The Sand Mandala pictured here
measures 123 x 123 cm (4 x 4 ft)

Hundreds of thousands of grains of
coloured sand have been meticulously
dropped into the design by a group of artists/monks from the famous Tibetan Monastery of Tashi-Lhumpo, originally
from Shigatse and now in exile in
Southern India.

This Sand Mandala is one of only two
in Britain, as by tradition it is meant to be destroyed after the blessing ceremonies.

It is a symbol of the compassionate spirit
of the Tibetan people and for the
healing aspect of the subject.

It shows us four distinct areas that are
always orientated clockwise towards the viewer/contemplator:

bottom - EAST representing AIR in blue,
left - SOUTH representing EARTH in yellow,
top - WEST representing FIRE in red
right - NORTH representing WATER in green

at the centre ETHER, in white, symbolises purity, knowledge and enlightenment.

The Mandala is an ancient symbol for
the Sun, the four elements, and was adopted as a symbol for Buddhism, like the Cross
for Christianity. It represents the World, the Universe and is mainly used for meditation..

The essence of such a picture is the process
of the calling-in and the realisation of
the helping Divine power within the contemplator's own heart for his or her
spiritual growth.

This large sand Mandala was commissioned by Tibet Foundation in
May 1999 for the UK visit of
H. H. The Dalai Lama and was
blessed by His Holiness.

January 2001

On 22 January 2001, Alain Rouveure
attended the Royal Institution of Great Britain
in London to receive a Special Commendation for the 2000 Worldaware Business Award
for fair trading (Patron: Her Majesty
The Queen).

The award was presented to Alain by the Commonwealth Secretary-General HE Rt Honourable Donald C McKinnon and Lord Cairns "for converting a love of a talented community into a sustainable livelihood for his members and a means of survival for a thousand-year-old craft..."

Worldaware Judges Commendation

The Judges' Special Commendation

About Worldaware

"Worldaware is a UK charity whose aim
is to provide those who influence society’s choices - young people, teachers,
journalists, business leaders and
politicians - with the resources they need
to understand the independent nature of today’s world and to encourage them to incorporate development issues and the eradication of poverty into their
decision-making and into the ideas which
they communicate to others."

See the transcript of Alain Rouveure's acceptance speech at the Worldaware Business Awards 2000 Ceremony.

Alain Rouveure Media Coverage

Television

‘Heart of the Country’ 20 minute prime time programme featuring
the galleries and an interview with Alain Rouveure.

Carlton / ITV Midlands, Autumn 1996

‘Heart of the Country Special’
30 minute prime time documentary. Filmed on location in the
Kingdom of Nepal and at the Cotswold galleries, the
programme examines the
20-year relationship between
Alain Rouveure and his Nepalese and Tibetan refugee friends who produce his rugs under his sponsorship. A re-edition of this documentary was shown on Carlton London and South of England 'Carlton Country Special' on 27 June 2000 with additional footage
in London and Nepal.

Carlton / ITV Midlands, 4 October 1999

‘Our House’ series 20 minute prime time decorating programme featuring Alain Rouveure’s house and galleries.

CARLTON / ITV Network, October 1999

Local News and interest programme 20 minute prime time programme featuring Alain Rouveure’s house and galleries with an interview on his involvement with Tibetan refugees.

ITV-Bristol, Winter 1999

All day repeat Interview and comments by Alain Rouveure in
reference to the 1999 official visit to the UK of President Zemin of
China and the repressive occupation of Tibet by his country.

Sky News. 20 October 1999

(read ‘Letter to the Editor’ on the subject despatched at the time
to all the National Press and published in the Independent).

Radio

30 minute interview on day-time consumer programme.

BBC Gloucester, Spring 1989

Interview and comments by Alain Rouveure concerning the 1999
official visit to UK of the President Zemin of China and the
repressive occupation of Tibet by his country.

BBC Hertfordshire and South, 20 October 1999

Press

"…a remarkable collection of the art and craftsmanship of
the Himalayas and a unique selection of Tibetan rugs…"

Ross Byam Shaw, Homes & Gardens, November 1989

"…some of the finest Tibetan rugs in the world…"

Lucia van der Post, Financial Times Weekend, July 1992

"…an attempt to mitigate the degenerative effects of
mass-produced Tibetan carpets flooding the market…"

HALI –The International Magazine of Fine Carpets and Textiles, October 1991

"…Alain Rouveure, a dealer in traditional Tibetan rugs,
has watched the situation (the international trade in
oriental carpets and rugs) deteriorate over the years"

Dinah Hall, Weekend Times, October 1991

"…One of the most exciting modern carpet dealers,
Alain Rouveure revives authentic Tibetan weaving…
hand-spun, hand-knotted Himalayan sheep wool of
superb quality is transformed into ebullient colours
with vegetable dyes…"

Rothes Warley, Homes & Gardens, July 1992

"…mixing traditional techniques…using pure colours and
graphic forms"

Elle Decoration, September 1994

"…Alain Rouveure is one of the few to have helped rather
than fragment some of the ancient ways…helping a
besieged culture to survive "

Interview by Ena Kendall, Observer Newspaper Colour Supplement, June 1992

"…one man’s crusade to keep alive the tradition of
Tibetan rug-making ...his rugs grace the homes of
well-known personalities…"

Fiona Keating, Period Interior Decoration, October 1992

"…An outpost of the Himalayan kingdoms flourishes in
deepest Gloucestershire… a feast for the eyes, no two rugs are
he same… a unique and memorable example of
"Trade not Aid".

Ann Boston, Country Living, December 1992

"…through imagination and hard work Alain Rouveure has
created an enviable home and business and a creative
partnership between East and West."

Carolyn Harrison, Period Living & Traditional Homes, July 1997

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