The A.G. Leventis Foundation was established in May 1979 as a result of provisions made by Anastasios G. Leventis, who died in October 1978. 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. 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 organisations 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. 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 programme 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.