The MBI Al Jaber Foundation announce support to enable the refurbishment of the birthplace of British cinema.
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The Foundation, with the University of Westminster, is pleased to announce The MBI Al Jaber Grand Hall, a unique project at the University of Westminster which will enable the refurbishment of the birthplace of British cinema.
Building on a relationship going back to the mid-90s, the Foundation will be making a major gift to the University of Westminster to enable the refurbishment of its Grade II listed entrance on Regent Street in the heart of London’s West End, henceforth to be known as the MBI Al Jaber Grand Hall.
The agreement was signed by Foundation Chairman MBI Al Jaber and Vice Chancellor Geoff Petts in the presence of Westminster’s Chancellor, Lord Paul in July 2009 and is the latest in a series of capital grants made by the Foundation to elite institutions of higher education, including at Corpus Christi, Oxford, and UCL.
The Regent Street address has always been seen as the University of Westminster’s flagship, home of the first polytechnic. It is a listed building and contains many historical firsts including the world’s first photography school, the first demonstration of the Lumiere brother’s Cinematograph, and the birthplace of Cinema in the UK.
The Regent Street Project will be the first major Capital Project that encapsulates the University of Westminster vision for 2015 set out by the new Vice Chancellor Geoff Petts. The foyer and cinema will be turned into a ‘shop window’ highlighting the University and the buildings historical importance and including a designated area to hold special events, as well as promoting the internationalism and diversity for which the University is renowned through series of public lectures and cinema screenings within the heart of London.
On completion of the project, the Foundation plans to host a Middle East Film Series at the University, acknowledging the important role of film and documentaries in raising awareness and building bridges between cultures.
