The Magos Foundation finds its source of inspiration in Ethiopia, in Aksum, a place sacred to the three monotheistic religions. It was during a visit to the tomb of King Bazen, associated with the biblical Magi Balthazar, that something obvious became clear. My next project was to be devoted to the quest for these Kings of the East and their message, still alive and so necessary in our fractured world!

As a documentary filmmaker, I started collecting representations and objects to illustrate an international exhibition, conceived as a cinematographic immersion in the world of the Three Kings. More than 2,000 references accumulated in the course of my peregrinations were enriched thanks to donations from artists and patrons. They have contributed to this awareness by offering the public a collection that is unique in the world. And it continues to grow…

This is the reason for the creation of the Magos Foundation: the constitution of a non-profit organisation, whose values aim to carry the symbolic message transmitted by these Wise Men. Not only a dialogue between cultures and religions, but also a rapprochement between East and West.

The promise of the Magos Foundation

The creation of the Magos Foundation is the fruit of a personal conviction. That of an attraction for the East influenced by my Andalusian origins, mixed with Christianity and Islam. During genealogical research, I discovered the Nazari dynasty of Granada, a succession of kings from the East who were committed to “Convivencia”, the coexistence between religions.

The knowledge I have acquired about this lineage in the heart of Al Andalus, as well as several portraits, documents and objects I have collected, have led me to prepare a multimedia exhibition on the last Muslim dynasty in Western Europe.

The original creations and manuscripts of this constantly evolving collection, enriched by other enthusiasts, are added to the Magos Foundation’s heritage. The Magos Foundation’s promise is to share but also to pass on these works for present and future generations.

The commitments of the Magos Foundation

In the wake of the “Institut du Monde Arabe” in Paris, the “Fundacion Tres Culturas” in Seville, the “Philharmonic Orchestra” in Morocco or the “House of Abraham” in Abu Dhabi, the Magos Foundation aims to contribute to building a bridge between civilisations and religions through exhibitions, films and educational programmes.

This website constitutes, by the diversity of the themes developed, one of the very first steps in our desire to open new horizons on sometimes unknown aspects of the Orient.

A personal initiative can only be viable if it becomes collective. Let us be inspired by the teachings of the “sages”, walking together in the footsteps they have left us!

Joel Soler