On September 15, 2023, Jonathan KS Choi Arts and Education Centre of Paris(HAMO), donated by the Jonathan KS Choi Foundation, opened at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. In October 2019, Dr. Jonathan Choi donated US $1 million to promote the project, which aims to carry out diversified educational activities around contemporary art, and is committed to continuously promoting people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and France, and promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries through cultural and educational platforms.
During his visit to China in April this year, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke highly of Dr. Choi 's outstanding work in promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries and expressed deep gratitude.
The officiating guests of the opening ceremony included Christopher Miles, Deputy Minister of Culture of France, and Guillaume Désanges, President of the Palais de Tokyo, bringing together more than 200 guests from all walks of life in China and France. HAMO, as a new art space dedicated to mediation, education and inclusion through art, opened to the public on September 16 and 17.
Guillaume Désanges, President of the Palais de Tokyo, expressed his sincere gratitude to Dr. Choi and said, "This is the first time we have participated in such an ambitious collaboration, especially with a Chinese foundation, the Jonathan KS Choi Foundation, and marks a significant moment in the field of Chinese-French cooperation in art education. What's exciting is that we have the same goals for educational culture. This partnership gives us the opportunity to work on major projects in the areas of education and mediation, which is a big moment for us."
At the core of the collaboration is outreach and targeting to a wide range of audiences, including those with special needs, such as people with disabilities and socially vulnerable groups. The Palais de Tokyo stated that the project aims to bring together a diverse audience through an art and cultural center to promote social well-being and progress.
