Heinrich Böll Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Heinrich Böll Foundation (German: Heinrich Böll Stiftung) is a German, legally independent political foundation. Affiliated with the German Green Party
, it was originally founded in 1987 and rebuilt in 1997. The foundation was named after German writer Heinrich Böll
(1917–1985).
for policy reforms, and an international network. It is part of the global Green political movement that has developed since the 1980s. The foundation’s main tenets are ecology
and sustainability
, democracy
and human rights
, and self-determination
and justice
. Particular emphasis is placed on gender democracy, meaning social emancipation and equal rights
for women and men. Furthermore, the foundation is committed to equal rights for cultural and ethnic minorities, and advocates for the societal and political participation of immigrants. It also promotes non-violence and proactive peace policies.
Headquartered in Berlin
, Germany, the Heinrich Böll Foundation has 30 offices across the globe, spanning cities such as Beijing
, Brussels
, Kabul
, New Delhi
, Rio de Janeiro
, and Tel Aviv
. Since 2002, Ralf Fücks
and Barbara Unmüßig have led the executive board. Birgit Laubach is the current CEO.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation also includes a scholarship program, which supports university and PhD students through stipend
s and an alumni network.
Heinrich Böll
(born 1917, died 1985) is considered to be one of the most important and best-known writers of the Federal Republic of Germany. "Bound by the times and my contemporaries, to what my generation has lived through, experienced, seen, and heard," as Böll himself wrote, he was the critical chronicler of Germany’s history at mid-century. Some of his most important works include "The Bread of Our Early Years," "Billiards at Half-past Nine
," "The Clown
," "Group Portrait with Lady," "The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum
," "Women in a River Landscape," and "Irish Journal."
Many of his books have also been made into films.
Heinrich Böll particularly influenced German and international political culture in the areas of civil and human rights and the 1980s peace movement. In 1972, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his novels and short stories. In the 1970s, Böll became president of International PEN
, a worldwide association of writers working to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers.
With the approval of the Böll family and the National Convention of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (German Green Party), the foundation carries the name of Heinrich Böll. According to the HBF mission statement, Böll personified the values of the foundation: courage to stand up for one's beliefs; encouragement to meddle in public affairs; and unconditional activism in support of dignity and human rights
. Böll encouraged others to involve themselves in political processes, and was famously quoted as saying: “Meddling is the only way to stay relevant.”
-based Heinrich Böll Foundation. The work of these organizations was later coordinated by the umbrella organization
Regenbogen. In 1988, the Green Party recognized Regenbogen as the foundation allied to the party. From then on, the foundation qualified for government funding.
In 1996, a Green Party convention pushed the merger of the separate foundations. The statutes of the new foundation stressed the tenets of gender democracy, and of issues related to migration
and diversity
. The motion was passed with a large majority. The new foundation took on the name of one of its predecessors – Heinrich Böll Foundation. On July 1, 1997, the newly founded Heinrich Böll Foundation began its operations in its new headquarters in the center of Berlin.
Climate Change: The foundation focuses on the concept of Greenhouse Development Rights (GDRs), arguing that the best way to break the impasse between the climate
and the development crisis is to expand the climate protection agenda to include the protection of development dignity.
Resource Policy: A responsible use of resources is formulated in the memo of the foundation. By analyzing existing initiatives, standards, and mechanisms and proposing new ones, the Heinrich Böll Foundation advises governments, political actors and interest groups in Germany
and in the international sphere.
European Policy: The Heinrich Böll Foundation supports the democratic reform of European institutions, and is committed to further expansion of the European Union
and integration of new member states
.
The Economy and Financial Crisis: The foundation supports investment in ecological structural changes, education, science and development for a sustainable society. It underlies this claim by advocating for the Green New Deal
.
Global Gender Politics: Gender politics and gender democracy have been priorities for the foundation from the very beginning. The organizational development of the Heinrich Böll Foundation has become a role model for many other institutions.
Stipend Programs: The foundation is one of 12 accredited institutions financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It hands out scholarships for outstanding students in Germany
and encourages the integration of non-German students into the program.
totals approximately 7,000 square meters of building area and features modern office space for 185 employees. The conference center holds up to 300 people in varying configurations, making it possible to hold large multi-day conferences at the location as well.
The foundation describes its headquarters as being in the “ecological vanguard” of modern office and conference center design. Its energy consumption
is at 55.7 kWh/m2, which is less than half of the legal maximum. In partnership with Grammer Solar, a photovoltaic system has been installed on the roof. This has an annual energy yield of some 53,000 kWh and feeds into the district heating system. In addition, the building uses an adiabatic recooler to cool its offices. Outlet slits run at sill level along the glazing in every office. The sill casing houses high-performance heat-exchangers
, through which water at a temperature of 20°C circulates in the summer. A small ventilator inside ensures that cooled air is distributed throughout the room. Even when the temperature outside is over 30°C, the room temperature does not rise above 25°. This system uses approximately ten times less energy than a conventional air conditioning system. The building uses the heat created by the computer network servers
to heat its rooms. This heating system has led the foundation to receive the Green CIO Award, an award given in recognition of innovative projects that significantly improve the energy efficiency
of IT systems. Lastly, the atrium
and internal courtyard create natural convection currents
that serve to ventilate the building all year long.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation holds independent regional offices in each of the 16 German states, called Bundesländer
. With their work, the regional offices design and implement community and regional work in the spheres of ecology
, democracy
, migration
, and gender democracy. Their work is not limited to regional or national issues, but also includes international projects and cooperation efforts. Although all of the 16 offices are independent associations, they must adhere to the constitution of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (e.g. adhering to the common public interest and fulfilling female employee quotas).
in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, Beirut, Belgrade, Cairo
(under construction), Cape Town, Istanbul, Kabul, Kiev, Mexico City, Lagos, Lahore, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, Prague, Phnom Penh, Ramallah, Rio de Janeiro, San Salvador, Santiago, Sarajevo, Tbilisi, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Washington, and Zagreb.
The scholarship program’s network includes 250 liaison lecturers, who provide individual student support. Sixty-three percent of all scholarship-holders are women, and thirty percent come from abroad or have immigrant backgrounds.
The Green Academy, launched in January 1999 as a project of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, is an independent forum for contemporary political issues. It consists of approximately 60 volunteer members who confer with the HBF Board and CEO to decide upon content. The Academy hosts workshops and roundtable discussions. The topics may be proposed by members, board, or political spectators. Many of the Academy’s members are scholars, experts from associations and NGOs, and policy makers from both federal and state governments. In addition to its annual meeting, the Green Academy meets once a summer for a discussion session.
and gender democracy emerged in 2007 from the former Feminist Institute and the Joint Taskforce for Gender Democracy of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The Institute works on the topics of: women’s rights as human rights, the politicization of gender issues, the reflection of feminism
and gender democratic approaches, and discourse between science
, politics
, and civil society
.
, diversity, and gender trainings for people working voluntarily or professionally in NGOs
, political parties, organizations, and the private sector
. GreenCampus draws on the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s many years of experience, combines different competences, and offers a wide-range portfolio.
, ecology
, economic governance, foreign and security policy, and gender democracy. Through organizing events and inviting international visitors, the office promotes the exchange of ideas and concepts between North America
and the rest of the world.
Democracy: The office encourages direct democracy building
with actors of the civil society, such as political parties, political think tanks, or the media. The foundation’s Democracy Program supports societies in developing nations in their aspiration for more democratic participation.
Ecology: The North America office is engaged in global climate negotiations and the worldwide struggle to finance effective, efficient and equitable climate action, particularly adequate support for Southern countries. To meet the global financing needs for migration and adaptation efforts, new ways of funding need to be pursued. The Climate Finance Program offers analysis and monitoring of public climate funds and the emerging global finance architecture. Policy exchange and mutual learning to make progress toward regional low-carbon growth is fostered through the Transatlantic Network for a Low-Carbon Economy.
Economic Governance: The Economic Governance Program focuses on democratizing governance structures to ensure that the international financial institutions and bodies, such as the G20, are representative and accountable. It also works on democratizing policy-making in the areas of finance
, economics
, and trade
to ensure that the financial system serves “real economies” in environmentally-sustainable ways that respect the rights of poor and vulnerable groups. The engagement of citizen’s groups in developing countries
is supported through the encouragement of public education
and capacity building
.
Global Security and Foreign Policy: This program focuses on new policies and institutions as well as on selected regional conflicts such as the Middle East
and Afghanistan
. In general, the work in the Global Security and Foreign Policy Program is divided into two categories: issues in regional security and conflict on the one hand, and European and transatlantic relations
on the other. Since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the transatlantic dialogue has not only intensified but has also led to increased international cooperation as well as intensified strategic debate in the realm of foreign and security policy.
Gender Democracy: Gender democracy is a concept that addresses the structural and societal causes of the inequality of men and women. In general, the concept of gender democracy presents itself in all activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. More specifically, the foundation’s programmatic work in the field of gender democracy integrates considerations of gender equality by striving to inject gender awareness and perspectives in international political processes and institutions.
Heinrich Böll-Foundation North America: http://www.boell.org
Heinrich Böll: http://www.heinrich-boell.de/
Alliance '90/The Greens
Alliance '90/The Greens is a green political party in Germany, formed from the merger of the German Green Party and Alliance 90 in 1993. Its leaders are Claudia Roth and Cem Özdemir...
, it was originally founded in 1987 and rebuilt in 1997. The foundation was named after German writer Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Theodor Böll was one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers. Böll was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1967 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.- Biography :...
(1917–1985).
Mission Statement and Structure
The Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF or Heinrich Böll Stiftung, HBS) is an agency for green visions and projects, a think tankThink tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
for policy reforms, and an international network. It is part of the global Green political movement that has developed since the 1980s. The foundation’s main tenets are ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, and self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
and justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
. Particular emphasis is placed on gender democracy, meaning social emancipation and equal rights
Equal rights
Equal rights can refer to:*Equality before the law, when all people have the same rights*Human rights, when such rights are held in common by all people*Civil rights, when such rights are held in common by all citizens of a nation...
for women and men. Furthermore, the foundation is committed to equal rights for cultural and ethnic minorities, and advocates for the societal and political participation of immigrants. It also promotes non-violence and proactive peace policies.
Headquartered in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany, the Heinrich Böll Foundation has 30 offices across the globe, spanning cities such as Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, and Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Since 2002, Ralf Fücks
Ralf Fücks
Ralf Fücks is a German politician. He has been a member of the Green Party of Germany since 1982 and has been Mayor of Bremen....
and Barbara Unmüßig have led the executive board. Birgit Laubach is the current CEO.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation also includes a scholarship program, which supports university and PhD students through stipend
Stipend
A stipend is a form of salary, such as for an internship or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from a wage or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work performed, instead it represents a payment that enables somebody to be exempt partly or wholly from waged or salaried...
s and an alumni network.
The Writer Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Böll
Heinrich Theodor Böll was one of Germany's foremost post-World War II writers. Böll was awarded the Georg Büchner Prize in 1967 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1972.- Biography :...
(born 1917, died 1985) is considered to be one of the most important and best-known writers of the Federal Republic of Germany. "Bound by the times and my contemporaries, to what my generation has lived through, experienced, seen, and heard," as Böll himself wrote, he was the critical chronicler of Germany’s history at mid-century. Some of his most important works include "The Bread of Our Early Years," "Billiards at Half-past Nine
Billiards at Half-past Nine
Billiards at Half-past Nine is a novel written in 1959 by German author Heinrich Böll. The entirety of the narrative takes place on the day of September 6, 1958 but the story stretches back through the use of flashbacks and the retelling of memories of the characters...
," "The Clown
The Clown
The Clown may refer to:*"The Clown" , by Thomas Mann*The Clown , a 1957 album by Charles Mingus*The Clown , a 1963 novel by Heinrich Böll*The Clown , a 1976 West German film directed by Vojtěch Jasný...
," "Group Portrait with Lady," "The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum
The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum
The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum, or: how violence develops and where it can lead is a 1974 novel by Heinrich Böll....
," "Women in a River Landscape," and "Irish Journal."
Many of his books have also been made into films.
Heinrich Böll particularly influenced German and international political culture in the areas of civil and human rights and the 1980s peace movement. In 1972, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his novels and short stories. In the 1970s, Böll became president of International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
, a worldwide association of writers working to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers.
With the approval of the Böll family and the National Convention of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (German Green Party), the foundation carries the name of Heinrich Böll. According to the HBF mission statement, Böll personified the values of the foundation: courage to stand up for one's beliefs; encouragement to meddle in public affairs; and unconditional activism in support of dignity and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Böll encouraged others to involve themselves in political processes, and was famously quoted as saying: “Meddling is the only way to stay relevant.”
History
Regional foundations close to the Green Party were set up in the early 1980s. In 1983, there was an initial unsuccessful effort to found a national foundation. Later in the 1980s, three national foundations were established: The feminist Frauenanstiftung, the Buntstift federation of regional foundations, and the CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
-based Heinrich Böll Foundation. The work of these organizations was later coordinated by the umbrella organization
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
Regenbogen. In 1988, the Green Party recognized Regenbogen as the foundation allied to the party. From then on, the foundation qualified for government funding.
In 1996, a Green Party convention pushed the merger of the separate foundations. The statutes of the new foundation stressed the tenets of gender democracy, and of issues related to migration
Migration
Migration, Migratory behavior, or Migratory may refer* Gene migration, a process in evolution and population genetics* Animal migration, the travelling of long distances in search of a new habitat...
and diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
. The motion was passed with a large majority. The new foundation took on the name of one of its predecessors – Heinrich Böll Foundation. On July 1, 1997, the newly founded Heinrich Böll Foundation began its operations in its new headquarters in the center of Berlin.
Thematic Priorities
The Heinrich Böll Foundation works on a range of issues, and the following themes permeate many of its projects and publications:Climate Change: The foundation focuses on the concept of Greenhouse Development Rights (GDRs), arguing that the best way to break the impasse between the climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
and the development crisis is to expand the climate protection agenda to include the protection of development dignity.
Resource Policy: A responsible use of resources is formulated in the memo of the foundation. By analyzing existing initiatives, standards, and mechanisms and proposing new ones, the Heinrich Böll Foundation advises governments, political actors and interest groups in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and in the international sphere.
European Policy: The Heinrich Böll Foundation supports the democratic reform of European institutions, and is committed to further expansion of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and integration of new member states
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
.
The Economy and Financial Crisis: The foundation supports investment in ecological structural changes, education, science and development for a sustainable society. It underlies this claim by advocating for the Green New Deal
Green New Deal
A Green New Deal is a report released on July 21, 2008 by the Green New Deal Group and published by the New Economics Foundation, which outlines a series of policy proposals to tackle global warming, the current financial crisis, and peak oil. The report calls for the re-regulation of finance and...
.
Global Gender Politics: Gender politics and gender democracy have been priorities for the foundation from the very beginning. The organizational development of the Heinrich Böll Foundation has become a role model for many other institutions.
Stipend Programs: The foundation is one of 12 accredited institutions financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It hands out scholarships for outstanding students in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and encourages the integration of non-German students into the program.
Headquarters and offices of the HBF in Germany
The new foundation headquarters in the center of BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
totals approximately 7,000 square meters of building area and features modern office space for 185 employees. The conference center holds up to 300 people in varying configurations, making it possible to hold large multi-day conferences at the location as well.
The foundation describes its headquarters as being in the “ecological vanguard” of modern office and conference center design. Its energy consumption
Energy consumption
Energy consumption is the consumption of energy or power. It is covered in the following articles and categories:* World energy consumption* Domestic energy consumption* Fuel efficiency in transportation* Electric energy consumption* Electricity generation...
is at 55.7 kWh/m2, which is less than half of the legal maximum. In partnership with Grammer Solar, a photovoltaic system has been installed on the roof. This has an annual energy yield of some 53,000 kWh and feeds into the district heating system. In addition, the building uses an adiabatic recooler to cool its offices. Outlet slits run at sill level along the glazing in every office. The sill casing houses high-performance heat-exchangers
Heat exchanger
A heat exchanger is a piece of equipment built for efficient heat transfer from one medium to another. The media may be separated by a solid wall, so that they never mix, or they may be in direct contact...
, through which water at a temperature of 20°C circulates in the summer. A small ventilator inside ensures that cooled air is distributed throughout the room. Even when the temperature outside is over 30°C, the room temperature does not rise above 25°. This system uses approximately ten times less energy than a conventional air conditioning system. The building uses the heat created by the computer network servers
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
to heat its rooms. This heating system has led the foundation to receive the Green CIO Award, an award given in recognition of innovative projects that significantly improve the energy efficiency
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency may refer to:*Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency.*Energy conversion efficiency, the ratio between the output and input of an energy conversion machine....
of IT systems. Lastly, the atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
and internal courtyard create natural convection currents
Convection
Convection is the movement of molecules within fluids and rheids. It cannot take place in solids, since neither bulk current flows nor significant diffusion can take place in solids....
that serve to ventilate the building all year long.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation holds independent regional offices in each of the 16 German states, called Bundesländer
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
. With their work, the regional offices design and implement community and regional work in the spheres of ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, migration
Migration
Migration, Migratory behavior, or Migratory may refer* Gene migration, a process in evolution and population genetics* Animal migration, the travelling of long distances in search of a new habitat...
, and gender democracy. Their work is not limited to regional or national issues, but also includes international projects and cooperation efforts. Although all of the 16 offices are independent associations, they must adhere to the constitution of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (e.g. adhering to the common public interest and fulfilling female employee quotas).
Foreign offices
The Heinrich Böll Foundation currently holds 29 foreign offices worldwide outside of GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, Beirut, Belgrade, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
(under construction), Cape Town, Istanbul, Kabul, Kiev, Mexico City, Lagos, Lahore, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, Prague, Phnom Penh, Ramallah, Rio de Janeiro, San Salvador, Santiago, Sarajevo, Tbilisi, Tel Aviv, Warsaw, Washington, and Zagreb.
Scholarship program and the Green Academy
In addition to its political and cultural work, the Heinrich Böll Foundation also offers scholarships for university students and PhD students. Around 1000 scholarship-holders from different colleges and universities are promoted every year. Scholars are expected to show excellent academic achievements, community involvement, political interest, and support for the ideals of the foundation.The scholarship program’s network includes 250 liaison lecturers, who provide individual student support. Sixty-three percent of all scholarship-holders are women, and thirty percent come from abroad or have immigrant backgrounds.
The Green Academy, launched in January 1999 as a project of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, is an independent forum for contemporary political issues. It consists of approximately 60 volunteer members who confer with the HBF Board and CEO to decide upon content. The Academy hosts workshops and roundtable discussions. The topics may be proposed by members, board, or political spectators. Many of the Academy’s members are scholars, experts from associations and NGOs, and policy makers from both federal and state governments. In addition to its annual meeting, the Green Academy meets once a summer for a discussion session.
Gunda Werner Institute
The Gunda Werner Institute for feminismFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and gender democracy emerged in 2007 from the former Feminist Institute and the Joint Taskforce for Gender Democracy of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The Institute works on the topics of: women’s rights as human rights, the politicization of gender issues, the reflection of feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and gender democratic approaches, and discourse between science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
.
GreenCampus
GreenCampus is the political training academy within the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Founded in 2006, the academy's core areas of expertise are political managementPolitical Management
Political management is a broad and ever evolving field encompassing a number of activities in professional politics. The field includes campaign management and consulting, advertisement creation/purchasing, grassroots politics, opposition research , issue advocacy, lobbying, fundraising , and...
, diversity, and gender trainings for people working voluntarily or professionally in NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, political parties, organizations, and the private sector
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
. GreenCampus draws on the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s many years of experience, combines different competences, and offers a wide-range portfolio.
HBF in North America
In 1998, the Heinrich Böll Foundation North America opened its office in Washington D.C. It focuses on the five program areas of: democracyDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, economic governance, foreign and security policy, and gender democracy. Through organizing events and inviting international visitors, the office promotes the exchange of ideas and concepts between North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the rest of the world.
Democracy: The office encourages direct democracy building
Democracy building
Democracy building is the process of building and strengthening democracy, in particular the consolidation of democratic institutions, including courts of law, police forces and constitutions....
with actors of the civil society, such as political parties, political think tanks, or the media. The foundation’s Democracy Program supports societies in developing nations in their aspiration for more democratic participation.
Ecology: The North America office is engaged in global climate negotiations and the worldwide struggle to finance effective, efficient and equitable climate action, particularly adequate support for Southern countries. To meet the global financing needs for migration and adaptation efforts, new ways of funding need to be pursued. The Climate Finance Program offers analysis and monitoring of public climate funds and the emerging global finance architecture. Policy exchange and mutual learning to make progress toward regional low-carbon growth is fostered through the Transatlantic Network for a Low-Carbon Economy.
Economic Governance: The Economic Governance Program focuses on democratizing governance structures to ensure that the international financial institutions and bodies, such as the G20, are representative and accountable. It also works on democratizing policy-making in the areas of finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, and trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
to ensure that the financial system serves “real economies” in environmentally-sustainable ways that respect the rights of poor and vulnerable groups. The engagement of citizen’s groups in developing countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
is supported through the encouragement of public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
and capacity building
Capacity building
Capacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...
.
Global Security and Foreign Policy: This program focuses on new policies and institutions as well as on selected regional conflicts such as the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. In general, the work in the Global Security and Foreign Policy Program is divided into two categories: issues in regional security and conflict on the one hand, and European and transatlantic relations
Transatlantic relations
Transatlantic relations refers to the historic, cultural, political, economic and social relations between countries on both side of the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes specifically those between the United States, Canada and the countries in Europe, although other meanings are possible.There are a...
on the other. Since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the transatlantic dialogue has not only intensified but has also led to increased international cooperation as well as intensified strategic debate in the realm of foreign and security policy.
Gender Democracy: Gender democracy is a concept that addresses the structural and societal causes of the inequality of men and women. In general, the concept of gender democracy presents itself in all activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. More specifically, the foundation’s programmatic work in the field of gender democracy integrates considerations of gender equality by striving to inject gender awareness and perspectives in international political processes and institutions.
See also
- Konrad Adenauer FoundationKonrad Adenauer FoundationThe Konrad Adenauer Foundation is a German political party foundation associated with the centre-right Christian Democratic Union . The foundation's headquarters are located in Saint Augustine and Berlin. Globally, the KAS has 78 offices and runs programs in over 100 countries...
(CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
) - Friedrich Ebert FoundationFriedrich Ebert FoundationThe Friedrich Ebert Foundation is a German political foundation associated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany , yet independent of it...
(SPD) - Friedrich Naumann FoundationFriedrich Naumann FoundationThe Friedrich Naumann Foundation is a German foundation for liberal politics, related to the Free Democratic Party. Established in 1958 by Theodor Heuss, the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany, it promotes individual freedom and liberalism.The Foundation follows the ideals of the...
für die Freiheit (FDP) - Hanns Seidel Foundation (CSUChristian Social Union of BavariaThe Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
) - Rosa Luxemburg FoundationRosa Luxemburg FoundationThe Rosa Luxemburg Foundation is a German research foundation associated with The Left party. The organisation was founded in Berlin in 1990 as the "Social Analysis and Political Education Association". It was named after Rosa Luxemburg.The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation is actively involved in...
(Die Linke).
External links
Heinrich Böll-Foundation: http://www.boell.de/Heinrich Böll-Foundation North America: http://www.boell.org
Heinrich Böll: http://www.heinrich-boell.de/