ABOUT US
The Institut San Martín du Benelux (ISMBen) is a transdisciplinary non-profit organisation committed to strengthening connections between South America and the Benelux region, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Conceived as an independent, non-partisan institution to be formally constituted under Belgian law, the Institute aspires to foster enduring ties through the cultivation and preservation of historical memory, academic collaboration, cultural exchange, and the promotion of friendship, dialogue, and civic responsibility.
It draws its name and inspiration from General José de San Martín (1778–1850), whose life and legacy offer a profound moral compass and symbolic foundation for its mission. Revered as a liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru, San Martín’s legacy has transcended national borders to become a universal emblem of freedom, integrity, and civic virtue.
General San Martín’s Legacy
Since the early twentieth century, his memory has been honoured through public monuments in more than sixty cities across the world. The first European monument was inaugurated in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, in 1909, where San Martín spent his final years in voluntary exile. Today, monuments dedicated to him can be found in cities such as Madrid, London, Edinburgh, Milan, Brussels, Geneva, Berlin, Moscow, Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Ottawa, Mexico City, Lima, Santiago, Quito, São Paulo, Montevideo, Asunción, and Sydney, among others. These commemorative sites occupy prominent civic spaces and reflect the enduring admiration for his emancipatory vision and principled leadership.
In parallel, San Martín institutes have been established in several countries where the General lived or is symbolically commemorated. These include Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. Each of these institutions contributes to the preservation and dissemination of his legacy through educational, cultural, and diplomatic initiatives, reinforcing the transnational significance of his ideals.
Foundational Institutional Purpose and Vision
- Preserving and transmitting the values of liberty, justice, and civic virtue, as exemplified by General San Martín throughout his life and leadership.
- Honouring his decisive role in the emancipation of Argentina, Chile, and Peru, including his command of the Army of the Andes and his victories at Chacabuco (1817) and Maipú (1818).
- Promoting a vision of unity and sovereignty for the peoples of South America, grounded in ethical leadership and historical awareness.
In accordance with its statutes, the institute pursues the following objectives:
- To honour and perpetuate the memory of General San Martín.
- To advance interdisciplinary research and the dissemination of knowledge.
- To encourage dialogue and cooperation between the Benelux and South America.
- To organise conferences, seminars, and scholarly publications.
- To build partnerships with academic, cultural, and institutional actors.
Its governance structure includes a Board of Directors, a Scientific Council, and an Honorary and Diplomatic Committee, supported by a General Assembly composed of active, student, associated, honorary, and benefactor members.
General San Martín in the Benelux
The institute draws profound symbolic strength from General José de San Martín’s residence in Brussels between 1824 and 1830, where he lived in dignified exile alongside his daughter Mercedes (1816–1875) and his brother Justo Rufino de San Martín (1776–1832). His stay, under the patronage of King William I of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg (1772–1843), unfolded in a city that, though not yet the capital of an independent Belgium, was already emerging as a crossroads of international thought and diplomacy.
During this period, San Martín resided at Rue de la Fiancée, a location now marked by a commemorative plaque. From there, he maintained correspondence with leading figures of European and Latin American political and intellectual life, reflecting his continued engagement with the evolving currents of his time. In 1825, he composed the “Máximas para mi hija Mercedes”, a concise and enduring testament to his principles on education, morality, and civic duty, underscoring his lifelong commitment to the ethical formation of future generations. His likeness was captured by renowned Belgian artists such as Jean-Baptiste Madou, Jean Henri Simon, and François-Joseph Navez, whose portraits reflect both his cultural presence and contemplative stature during these years of reflection. His legacy in the Belgian capital is further honoured by the equestrian monument in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, inaugurated on 21 June 1975, which stands as a lasting tribute to his influence and moral example.
Continuity of a Civic Legacy
The institute consciously builds upon the legacy of the old Sanmartinian Institute of Belgium, founded in 1969 at the Argentine Embassy in Brussels and active until the mid-1990s. That pioneering body contributed to the dissemination of San Martín’s life and ideals in Europe through cultural programming, publications, and official commemorations. By reviving this torch, the Instituut San Martín du Benelux reaffirms its commitment to historical engagement in a contemporary context.
In 2025, the foundation of the Institut San Martín du Benelux coincided with three significant anniversaries: the bicentenary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Provinces of the Río de la Plata, established in 1825; the bicentenary of the Máximas para mi hija Mercedes, authored in Brussels that same year; and the fiftieth anniversary of the inauguration of the equestrian monument to General San Martín in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, unveiled in 1975.
In this spirit, the institute solemnly lays its foundations so that the memory of General San Martín may continue to inspire and shape future generations. His Brussels years, marked by reflection, cultural engagement, and moral clarity, offer a profound historical anchor for the institute’s mission. Through its name, structure, and ceremonial tone, the Instituut San Martín du Benelux stands as a living tribute to legacy, civic formation, and the enduring dialogue between continents.
Strategic Partnerships
The Institut San Martín du Benelux (ISMBen) works in friendship and cooperation with other institutions and organisations:
Belgium
Diplomatic Representations:
Embassy of the Argentine Republic
Luxembourg
Diplomatic Representations:
Embassy of the Argentine Republic
The Netherlands
Diplomatic Representations:
Embassy of the Argentine Republic
In the Rest of the World
Instituto Sanmartiniano Nacional (Argentina)
British San Martín Institute (United Kingdom)
Instituto Sanmartiniano de España (Spain)
Istituto Sanmartiniano d’Italia (Italy)