The Atlantic Institute (full name, Atlantic Institute for International Affairs) was an independent, non-governmental institute that promoted economic, political, and cultural relations among

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

alliance members and the international community in general. Based in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, France, it was founded in 1961 and closed in 1988. The institute was approved by the NATO Parliamentarians Conference in June 1959 and opened formally on January 1, 1961. Former Belgian Prime Minister

Paul van Zeeland Paul Guillaume, Viscount van Zeeland (11 November 1893 – 22 September 1973) was a Belgian lawyer, economist, Catholic politician, and statesman born in Soignies. Van Zeeland was a professor of law and later director of the Institute of Econ ...

was the first Chairman of the institute, while

Henry Cabot Lodge Henry Cabot Lodge (May 12, 1850 November 9, 1924) was an American Republican politician, historian, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign policy. ...

became Director-General later that year. Headquarters initially were at the

Hôtel de Crillon Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel () is a historic luxury hotel in Paris which opened in 1909 in a building dating to 1758. Located at the foot of the Champs-Élysées, the Crillon, along with the Hôtel de la Marine, is one of two identical st ...

, site of the

1919 Paris Peace Conference Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

. Funding of $250,000 over five years was supplied by the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

, with a further $800,000 given between 1969 and 1973. In 1978, talks were held to consider a merger between the Atlantic Institute and the

Trilateral Commission The Trilateral Commission is a nongovernmental international organization aimed at fostering closer cooperation between Japan, Western Europe and North America. It was founded in July 1973 principally by American banker and philanthropist David ...

, a similar private institution promoting American, European, and Japanese cooperation, but no merger proceeded. On July 12, 1984, the offices of the Institute were bombed by the left-wing guerrilla group Action directe, who described the institute as an "imperialist" organization working for NATO.

Notable members

George Catlin George Catlin (July 26, 1796 – December 23, 1872) was an American adventurer, lawyer, painter, author, and traveler, who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans in the Old West. Traveling to the We ...

, draftsman of constitution *

John J. McCloy John Jay McCloy (March 31, 1895 – March 11, 1989) was an American lawyer, diplomat, banker, and a presidential advisor. He served as Assistant Secretary of War during World War II under Henry Stimson, helping deal with issues such as German sa ...

, Honorary Chairman 1966-1968 *

Theodore Achilles Theodore Carter Achilles (December 29, 1905 – April 8, 1986) was an American diplomat who served as Ambassador to Peru. Biography Achilles was born 29 December 1905 in Rochester, New York, to Gertrude Strong, the daughter of Eastman Koda ...

, Governor 1969-1973 * Martin J. Hillenbrand, Director General 1977 - 1982 * George Baring, 3rd Earl of Cromer, Governor *

Kasım Gülek Kasım Gülek (1905 – 1996) was a prominent Turkish statesman credited with being instrumental in entrenching democracy in Turkey by taking politics to the masses. Biography He was born and lived in Adana, Adana Vilayet, Ottoman Empire, ...

, Governor *

Olivier Giscard d'Estaing Olivier Giscard d'Estaing (30 December 1927 – 13 September 2021) was chairman of the Committee for a World Parliament. The brother of the late president of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1926–2020), he was the founding dean and direc ...

, Governor

References

International organizations based in France Historical bodies of NATO {{Europe-org-stub