Established in May 1979, the A. G. Leventis Foundation is the outcome of the vision of the Cypriot entrepreneur Anastasios G. Leventis (1902-1978), who laid the bases of its focus on society, education and culture. Now in its fourth decade, the Foundation retains its adherence to these priorities, keenly supporting the dissemination of Greek and Cypriot cultural heritage, as well as extensive public benefits programmes, pioneering environmental protection projects, and medical research.
Anastasios Leventis, was born in Cyprus in 1902. He established one of the largest companies in West Africa and from 1966 served as Cyprus’ honorary Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
From the beginning, the aim of the Foundation was to support educational, cultural, artistic and philanthropic causes in Cyprus, Greece and elsewhere.
The range and direction of its activities were based on the philanthropic interests of the founder.
In Cyprus, Greece and other parts of Europe, there has been a focus on culture and education with a special emphasis on the cultural heritage of Cyprus.
This is particularly significant because of the immense destruction of the cultural heritage of the island caused by the Turkish Invasion of 1974 and its aftermath.
Cyprus & Greece
In 1980 an independent Cypriot branch of the Foundation was established and called the Anastasios G. Leventis Foundation.
In Greece the Foundation has supported a wide range of organizations and events in the cultural and historical fields, but the main emphasis has been on the restoration of a number of monuments from various periods.
A.G. Leventis & Culture
The collection of Greek paintings of the 19th and 20th centuries acquired by Anastasios Leventis has been studied and expanded.
Elsewhere in Europe, and further afield, there has been a concentration on the study of the culture and history of Cyprus and Greece and a focus on the communities of the Greek diaspora, particularly in Britain the cultural, linguistic and religious concerns of the communities have received the most attention.
The most important initiative in this category has been The Hellenic Centre, in the heart of London, to which the Foundation has been the largest donor. An international program of support for Greek studies, covering all historical periods, has developed over the years in parallel with efforts to study and enhance the presentation of Cypriot antiquities in foreign museums.
