« The role of art is to make a world which can be tolerated » William Saroyan
The Boghossian Foundation was created in 1992 by Robert Boghossian and his two sons, Jean and Albert, jewellers of Armenian origin, with the primary objective of contributing to development and education.
During its first fifteen years of existence, the Foundation focused mainly on improving the living conditions of young people in Armenia and Lebanon, enabling them to cultivate their potential for a better future. Its philanthropic action embraces a whole series initiatives.
Convinced that their Foundation’s work needed to extend beyond this humanitarian approach and dedicate itself to humanist values, Jean and Albert Boghossian took in 2006 the Foundation into a new phase in its evolution.
When looking for a suitable location, the Villa Empain emerged as a clear choice, a symbolic beacon of an era and of Brussel’s Art Deco architecture. The Boghossian Foundation purchased the Villa at a critical time, just as the damage it had suffered was about to become irreversible.
After dedicating four years to its complete restoration, the Boghossian Foundation opened the Villa Empain as a Centre of Art and Dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures in 2010. Directed by Louma Salamé since 2016, it has already welcomed more than 600, 000 visitors.
The Boghossian Foundation continues to finance social, educational and artistic projects in Belgium, Lebanon and Armenia.
It encourages and stimulates artistic creation with the awarding of several prizes and the hosting of artists in the Villa Empain residence, which is conducive to creation and intercultural encounters.
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