Montblanc supports several programs throughout the world, working with young people in various artistic endeavors, explains Jan Patrick Schmitz, president and CEO of Montblanc North America. “The arts and culture are among the most fundamental aspects of life,” he emphasizes. “They touch our hearts and our emotions.”

Schmitz is also head of Foundation d’Enterprise Montblanc de la Culture (Montblanc Foundation), a major arts supporter engaging in numerous outreach projects. The foundation’s programs include The Power to Write program, working with UNICEF to fight global illiteracy; Young Artist World Patronage, supporting visual artists; and the International Young Directors Project, promoting emerging artists and companies. Montblanc also supports the Nelson Mandela Foundation, working to combat AIDS through the sale of platinum, gold and silver bangles made by craftsmen affected by HIV.