Evens Foundation (Friends of Fund)

The Fund was created on the initiative of philanthropic friends. They use their own network and that of the public benefit foundation, Evens Fondation, to collect donations. The funds collected are used to financially support various projects of the organization.

Mission: The Evens Foundation wants to contribute to the construction of an European reality committed to the values of diversity, freedom, responsibility and solidarity. They identify and support innovative ideas and reward initiatives through their awards and calls. They also initiate and encourage experimental projects that bridge the gap between research and practice and facilitate the exchange of knowledge through conferences, seminars, debates and publications.

The Foundation: "Harmonious coexistence in Europe" embodies the vision of the founders and is at the heart of their work. They seek tangible ways to address this issue from a philosophical, social, cultural or educational point of view. They work with an ever-expanding network of citizens, practitioners, researchers, NGOs, academic and cultural institutions that connect different communities and perspectives across the continent and beyond.

The approach: As an operational foundation, they initiate and implement projects in collaboration with our partners. Since the foundation's inception, they have chosen to take risks and always focus on experimentation, whether it is designing their own projects or supporting independent innovative ideas. They focus mainly on developing pilot projects that test scientific hypotheses, innovative pedagogies or artistic processes. They work in different regions of Europe and have thus acquired an in-depth knowledge of local and transnational realities. Their initiatives take these specificities into account while seeking a broad dissemination and a pan-European exchange of practices.

Projects : The foundation has been active for almost 30 years in key areas of intervention such as democracy, education, media, arts and sciences. As their strategic plan for 2018-2020, they have designed two flagship initiatives: Common Purpose Across Differences and Norms and Values in the European Reality. Their projects explore different forms of belonging and connection, call for a new solidarity, and strive to create an impartial space where the multitude of conflicting voices and opinions can intersect. The foundation seeks to critically examine values, social constructs and narratives in order to enable collective reflection within a larger society.

Awards: Their biennial awards highlight innovative practices and achievements. Over the years, these awards have also helped them identify new challenges, gain new knowledge and perspectives, and expand the network. Currently, the foundation awards 4 prizes: the Evens Prize for the Arts, the Evens Prize for Journalism, the Evens Prize for Education and the Evens Prize for Science.