ReflectionsFeatured
Reflecting on the legacy of the reopened Gulbenkian Museum
A year ago, when I arrived in Lisbon to pursue an LLM in human rights advocacy at NOVA School of Law, in partnership with the University Network for Human Rights, I was hosted during my first months by a local journalist colleague. When I thanked her, her friends brushed it off with a familiar refrain: You are Armenian, they said, and your compatriot Calouste Gulbenkian has already done more for this country than gratitude could repay.
The same sentiment surfaced again at university. One of
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I was a recipient of Calouste Gulbenkian scholarship and during my graduate studies at the American University of Beirut, by the invitation of the Foundation, I spent part of my 1972 summer at the Foundation’s science institute, visited the museum, attended cultural events organized by the foundation, was hosted by the Armenian Department principals, and met an Armenian Member of the Governing board. But my experience was much different than Siranush Sargsyan’s. I have no recollection of meeting any student from Portugal and overseas, attending the science institute who knew about Calouste Gulbenkian as an Armenian or associated the foundation with Armenian in any way. Portuguese have been a sea faring people and their cultural influence overseas perpetuate to this day. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. Yes, the Foundation is “the most influential philanthropic institutions in Portugal and beyond.” I remain grateful and appreciative to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, for assisting me in my college education through the Armenian Department that continues to render much support to the Armenian community worldwide, under a new leadership in the person of Dr. Razmig Panossian.
As an added note, those interested to know as to why the Foundation was established in Portugal, may read Calouste Gulbenkian’s only son Nubar Gulbenkian’s memoir, “Portrait in Oil”, an autobiography. Wikipedia estimates the annual charitable contribution of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation around 170 million USD and the annual budget of the Armenian Department of the Foundation, about 4 million USD.
Thank you, Mr. Apelian for these insightful notes and for sharing your personal experience with the Gulbenkian Foundation.
It is particularly interesting to learn that you visited the Foundation in 1972, during Portugal’s dictatorship. To be honest, when I visited the museum, I expected to see more visible references to Gulbenkian’s Armenian identity and heritage. This is also why I tried to mention his wife, Nevart, whose role and identity deserve greater recognition.
While I deeply appreciate the Foundation’s continuing support for Armenian communities, I agree that, considering Gulbenkian’s immense wealth and global legacy, what he personally did for Armenians perhaps was not enough.
I attended the Gulbenkian elementary school in Tehran and have many fond memories of my formative years there.
I have also visited his Lisbon museum in 2013. I will always be grateful to him and the vision he had for all Armenians worldwide. The Armenian nation has benefited immensely from his love, altruism and long term vision.
Thank you, Andre, for your comments. Do you remember whether, when you were studying at the Tehran School, Nevarte Gulbenkian’s role was also acknowledged, or was the focus mainly on Calouste Gulbenkian?