Peace Palace

In remembrance of Vartan Gregorian

News item | 19-04-2021

The Carnegie Foundation was deeply saddened and mourns the loss of Vartan Gregorian (1934-2021), the 12th President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, who passed away suddenly on 15 April 2021, at the age of 87.

Vartan Gregorian was a unique personality, a steward of Andrew Carnegie’s legacy and an iconic leader. As President of the Carnegie Corporation, he united the Carnegie institutions worldwide, turning them into a family. He was a connector, warm and personal, with an unbridled commitment to do good until his last day.

For the Carnegie Foundation – Peace Palace in The Hague, he was a wise counsellor and a source of inspiration, especially in difficult times. In addition to his intellectual and moral support, he provided substantial material support for the mission of the Carnegie Foundation and the Peace Palace. During his presidency, the Carnegie Corporation was by far the largest private sponsor in recent history. With his presidential grant, he provided the funds for the modernization of the Peace Palace Library as public funds had been insufficient for the developments required towards further automatization and digitization.

Vartan Gregorian, a much awarded scholar and world citizen and former President and Chief Executive Officer of The New York Public Library (1981-1989), once said: “The library is not only a diary of the human race, but marks an act of faith in the continuity of humanity.” We will miss Vartan’s faith, his humanity, his wisdom and his guidance. 

Our thoughts are with his family and colleagues at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, who will no doubt look after Vartan’s legacy, just as he took care of Andrew Carnegie’s. 

More information on the life and legacy of Vartan Gregorian can be found on the website of Carnegie Corporation of New York.