The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation ( pt, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian), commonly referred to simply as the Gulbenkian Foundation, is a
Portuguese institution dedicated to the promotion of the
arts,
philanthropy
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
,
science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
, and
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
. One of the
wealthiest charitable foundations in the world, the Gulbenkian Foundation was founded on 18 July 1956 according to the last will and testament of
Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian
Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (, Western hy, Գալուստ Կիւլպէնկեան; 23 March 1869 – 20 July 1955), nicknamed "Mr Five Per Cent", was a British-Armenian businessman and philanthropist. He played a major role in making the petrole ...
, a Portugal-based oil magnate who bequeathed his assets to the country in the form of a foundation.
Gulbenkian the Armenian oil magnate had one of the largest private art collections in Europe, which is housed in the foundation's
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum houses one of the world's most important private art collections. It includes works from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century, spanning the arts of the Islamic World, China and Japan, as well as the French de ...
in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. The foundation hosts numerous institutions and initiatives including the
Gulbenkian Orchestra
The Gulbenkian Orchestra ( pt, Orquestra Gulbenkian) is a Portuguese symphony orchestra based in Lisbon. The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the ''Grande Auditório'' (Grand Auditorium) of the Gulbenkian Foundation. The orchestra, which was f ...
,
Gulbenkian Science Institute Gulbenkian is an Armenian surname. It may refer to:
People
*Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian businessman
*Nubar Gulbenkian, his son, also a businessman
*Angela Gulbenkian, Art collector
*Kémar Gulbenkian, member of French group No One Is Innocent ...
,
Gulbenkian Prizes and the
Gulbenkian Commission
The Gulbenkian Commission sought to address inadequacies in the organization of the social science disciplines that developed in the nineteenth century by indicating a direction for social scientific inquiry for the next 50 years. It was founded b ...
.
Organization
Located in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
(
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...
of
Avenidas Novas), the Foundation's premises opened in 1969 and were designed by
Ruy Athouguia Ruy may refer to:
Arts and Entertainment
*Ruy, the Little Cid, Spanish animated television series
*Ruy Blas, a character in the eponymous tragic drama by Victor Hugo
People
*another form of Rui, a Portuguese male given name
*another form of the S ...
,
Pedro Cid, and
Alberto Pessoa. In addition to Foundation offices, the complex includes an auditorium, exhibition space, congress facilities, and a large building designed specifically to house and display Museum and art library. These are set in Gulbenkian Park, which was designed by
Ribeiro Telles. In 1983, the Modern Art Centre was added at one end of the park.
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum houses one of the world's most important private art collections. It includes works from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century, spanning the arts of the Islamic World, China and Japan, as well as the French de ...
( pt, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian), founded in conformity with his last will and testament, accommodates his collection of mostly ancient and classical art, but including some individual modern pieces.
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
The ''
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência'' (IGC, a science institute) is not situated on the same premises but its own complex in
Oeiras (outskirts of Lisbon), near the palace of the
Marquis of Pombal. The institute is an international centre for biological and
biomedical research
Medical research (or biomedical research), also known as experimental medicine, encompasses a wide array of research, extending from "basic research" (also called ''bench science'' or ''bench research''), – involving fundamental scientif ...
and graduate training. Founded in 1961, the IGC is organised in small independent research groups that work in an environment designed to encourage interactions with minimal hierarchical structure. The scientific programme is multidisciplinary, including Cell and
Developmental biology
Developmental biology is the study of the process by which animals and plants grow and develop. Developmental biology also encompasses the biology of Regeneration (biology), regeneration, asexual reproduction, metamorphosis, and the growth and di ...
,
Evolutionary biology
Evolutionary biology is the subfield of biology that studies the evolutionary processes (natural selection, common descent, speciation) that produced the diversity of life on Earth. It is also defined as the study of the history of life fo ...
,
Immunology
Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see there ...
,
Host-pathogen interaction, Disease Genetics,
Plant Biology
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
,
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, development ...
s, Theoretical and
Computational biology
Computational biology refers to the use of data analysis, mathematical modeling and computational simulations to understand biological systems and relationships. An intersection of computer science, biology, and big data, the field also has fo ...
.
Gulbenkian Orchestra
The Gulbenkian Orchestra ( pt, Orquestra Gulbenkian) is a
Portuguese symphony
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
based in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the 1,228-seat ''Grande Auditório'' (Grand Auditorium) of the Foundation's main premises. Established in 1962 as the ''Orquestra de Câmara Gulbenkian'' (Gulbenkian Chamber Orchestra) with 12 musicians, it has subsequently expanded in size and took on its current name in 1971.
Gulbenkian Ballet
Gulbenkian ballet was a Portuguese classical dance troupe created in 1965 by the Foundation as Centro Português do Bailado. Its programme directors were Walter Gore (1965–1969), Milko Sparembeck (1969–1975), Jorge Salavisa (1977–1996), Iracity Cardoso (1996–2003) and Paulo Ribeiro (2003–2005). The project was terminated in 2005.
Gulbenkian Choir
Gulbenkian Choir (
Portuguese: ''Coro Gulbenkian'') is a musical choir project established by the Foundation in 1964 as the Gulbenkian Chamber Choir (Coro de Câmara Gulbenkian) directed by Olga Violante (1964–1969). Since then the choir made up of an average 100 members is directed by Michel Corboz.
Branches
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation also has a delegation in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
(UK Branch) and a centre 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 ...
(the Calouste Gulbenkian Cultural Centre). The Foundation's Armenian Communities Department has a unique and separate long-running mission in aiding Armenia and
Diasporan Armenian projects. It is a member of the
Network of European Foundations for Innovative Cooperation (NEF).
The mission statement of the UK Branch desires to change perceptions, build relationships, reduce social exclusion and preserve the environment and innovative partnerships.
Publishing
The foundation publishes books on a range of topics, including arts, education and languages.
Partex
Partex
Partex Oil and Gas (Holdings) Corporation is an oil company owned by PTT Exploration and Production, a company based in Thailand. It was previously owned by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, from Lisbon, Portugal, until it was sold in June 2019. ...
, a Portuguese
oil extraction company, was fully owned by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation until it was sold in June 2019 to a Thai company.
Gulbenkian Foundation in the Armenian communities
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is very active in the Armenian community worldwide as its founder Calouste Gulbenkian was of Armenian ethnicity. The Foundation has its Armenian Communities Department headed by Razmik Panossian. The Foundation's Armenian Communities Department distributes scholarships in the form of grants and bourses to Armenian students worldwide pursuing their education all over the world. The Foundation is active in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
and throughout the
Armenian diaspora
The Armenian diaspora refers to the communities of Armenians outside Armenia and other locations where Armenians are considered an indigenous population. Since antiquity, Armenians have established communities in many regions throughout the world. ...
. It also supports actively in promotion and preservation of the
Armenian language
Armenian ( classical: , reformed: , , ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of Armenia. Historically spoken in the Armenian Highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken t ...
, in particular
Western Armenian
Western Armenian ( Classical spelling: , ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based ...
used mostly by the Armenian diaspora, support of Armenian schools throughout the world, as well as Armenian societies, history, culture, churches, media, sports etc.
Gulbenkian Foundation – Armenian Communities – Language and Culture
/ref>
Gulbenkian Commission
The Gulbenkian Commission sought to address inadequacies in the organization of the social science
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soc ...
disciplines that developed in the nineteenth century by indicating a direction for social scientific inquiry for the next 50 years. It was founded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. It held three meetings in 1994 and 1995.
Honours
* Grand-Cross of the Order of Merit
The Order of Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by K ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
(20 June 1960)
* Honorary Member of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
(7 August 1981)
* Honorary Member of the Order of Prince Henry
The Order of Prince Henry ( pt, Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
(13 August 1986)
* Honorary Member of the Order of Liberty
The Order of Liberty, or the Order of Freedom ( pt, Ordem da Liberdade), is a Portuguese honorific civil order that distinguishes relevant services to the cause of democracy and freedom, in the defense of the values of civilization and human di ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
(20 July 2016)
See also
* List of wealthiest charitable foundations
This is a list of wealthiest charitable foundations worldwide. It consists of the 45 largest charitable foundations, private foundations engaged in philanthropy, and other charitable organizations such as charitable trusts that have disclosed the ...
*Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian
The Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian (CAM) is a major venue for contemporary art in Portugal and holds one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary Portuguese artworks. Its building is currently under renovation and will reopen to t ...
* Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum houses one of the world's most important private art collections. It includes works from Ancient Egypt to the early 20th century, spanning the arts of the Islamic World, China and Japan, as well as the French decor ...
* Gulbenkian commission
The Gulbenkian Commission sought to address inadequacies in the organization of the social science disciplines that developed in the nineteenth century by indicating a direction for social scientific inquiry for the next 50 years. It was founded b ...
* Gulbenkian Orchestra
The Gulbenkian Orchestra ( pt, Orquestra Gulbenkian) is a Portuguese symphony orchestra based in Lisbon. The orchestra primarily gives concerts at the ''Grande Auditório'' (Grand Auditorium) of the Gulbenkian Foundation. The orchestra, which was f ...
* Gulbenkian Science Institute Gulbenkian is an Armenian surname. It may refer to:
People
*Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian businessman
*Nubar Gulbenkian, his son, also a businessman
*Angela Gulbenkian, Art collector
*Kémar Gulbenkian, member of French group No One Is Innocent ...
* Museum of the Year
The Museum of the Year Award, formerly known as the Gulbenkian Prize and the Art Fund Prize, is an annual prize awarded to a museum or gallery in the United Kingdom for a "track record of imagination, innovation and excellence". The award of £ ...
, formerly the Gulbenkian Prize
References
External links
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation website
Instituto Gulbenkian Ciência
La Fondation Gulbenkian à Paris
Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch
* "Open the Social Sciences" in High Beam Encyclopedi
l
* "Open the Social Sciences: To Whom and For What?" by Michael Buroway (address delivered to Portuguese Sociological Association, 30 March 2006)
* "Gulbenkian Commission on the Restructuring of the Social Sciences, Description of Project" on the website of the Fernand Braudel Center
{{Authority control
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,
Arts in Portugal