Our history
The history of the Charlemagne Foundation
The Charlemagne Foundation was established in 1998: it was in that year that Françoise Rousseau decided to give stable form and continuity to the many solidarity initiatives she had individually supported over the years.
Her passion and drive are the sparks that gave life to an autonomous and independent Foundation.
Françoise Rousseau wished to counter social exclusion and inequality; she spoke of poverty in the plural, as she recognised its many manifestations; she feared the rise of social discrimination and the short-sightedness of economic systems unable to protect the dignity of people. Her vision extended well beyond the borders of Italy, and was nurtured by a strong sense of intellectual freedom.
She chose the name of the Foundation in memory of the École élémentaire d'application Charlemagne de Nancy, in the heart of the French region of Lorraine, where she spent her formative years, shaped by innovative and inclusive pedagogical models that would leave a lasting mark on her thinking and work.
It is with great satisfaction that the Charlemagne Foundation has become aware of the significant number of initiatives implemented in various parts of the world, bringing hope and improved living conditions where social and economic circumstances were particularly challenging, with the active involvement of people and the local, human and material resources of the areas supported.
The Charlemagne Foundation has received many expressions of esteem and trust, which are the finest confirmation and most welcome encouragement to continue its work, never losing sight of the spirit of secularism, tolerance and understanding that have guided its action from the very beginning. The Foundation intends to press forward along its chosen path with ever greater conviction, effectiveness and a sense of human solidarity.
