The Bellagio Center

We connect global leaders to turn ideas into breakthrough solutions that change the world.

Who We Are

The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center hosts policymakers, scholars, practitioners, scientists, artists and authors from across the globe, offering a unique environment for them to work, collaborate, and turn ideas into breakthrough solutions that change the world. 

For over 60 years, the Bellagio Center has supported and connected leaders through its residency and convening programs.

Annually, the Bellagio Center provides approximately 120 individual leaders from around the world with a month-long residency to advance a specific breakthrough project while engaging with a globally diverse community. Former residents include: Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, renowned authors Maya Angelou and Michael Ondaatji, and international policy makers such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Robinson and Montek Ahluwalia. Read more about our residents.

Each year the Bellagio Center also hosts approximately 60 week-long convenings for groups working collaboratively to address the world’s most important challenges. Bellagio convenings have launched landmark initiatives such as: the Forum for African Women Educationalists, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, and the field of impact investing.

Program Offerings

  • Bellagio residencies provide individual leaders four weeks of dedicated time to advance a breakthrough solution or project and build meaningful relationships with a global group of peers – all in a serene setting conducive to focused, goal-oriented work.
  • Bellagio convenings support dynamic, small group interactions, while catalyzing new connections across disciplines and geographies, and promoting innovative and creative problem-solving.
  • For small ideas, you can go to any retreat, but to think expansive, fearless ideas and then design something innovative and courageous to put them into practice, there is no place like Bellagio.
    Seth Berkley
    CEO, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance

Bellagio Perspectives

Highlighting the work of recent Bellagio Center residents and conveners who are driving progress on globally pressing issues.

Read the Latest

Bellagio Bulletin

Stories about the people and solutions from the Bellagio Alumni Network.

Explore Alumni Impact

Our Bellagio Center Residents

Coming from all over the world and representing a wide cross-section of expertise, our 2022-2023 residents are some of the most ambitious, innovative, and committed leaders of our time.

Meet Our Residents

The History of the Bellagio Center

The Bellagio Center has a record of major impact, from convenings that led to the Global AIDS vaccine initiative, to residencies that have furthered the work of some of the world’s leading thinkers and creators.

Learn More