The King Baudouin Foundation was founded in 1976 when King Baudouin I (1930-1993) celebrated his 25th anniversary as King of Belgium.
The King did not wish to receive a personal gift to mark his jubilee. King Baudouin was moved by social affairs, had a strong sense of justice and was concerned that society should be harmonious. A Foundation was therefore established to mark his jubilee that would make efforts to ensure better living conditions for the population.
Under the direction of the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the nine provincial governors form a National Committee which coordinates the festivities of the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Baudouin. As the King does not wish to receive a personal gift, a form of ‘lasting souvenir’ is considered. The creation of a foundation devoted to improving the living conditions of the population brings together closely the social commitment of King Baudouin, his sense of justice and his desire for a harmonious society. The statutes of the brand new Foundation appear in the annexes of the Moniteur Belge/Belgisch Staatsblad of 31 December 1975.
On 31 March 1976, the King Baudouin Foundation is presented to the King and the nation on the occasion of a solemn session in the Palace of Brussels. The Foundation begins with a capital of one billion Belgian francs (around 24,790,000 euros) from a collection of funds, a subsidy from the Council of Ministers and the issuing of commemorative gold medals, silver coins and special postage stamps.
Baudouin and Fabiola 