Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Islamabad Office

Promoting Social Democracy and International Understanding
[ Origin, Values and Aims ] [ Priority Areas ] [ International Dialogue and Cooperation ] [ Facts and Figures ]
Origin, Values and Aims
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is a German political non-profit oriented public-interest institution committed to social democracy and the basic values of peace, democracy and social justice. Being the oldest of Germany's political foundations, FES was founded in 1925 as a political legacy of the first democratically elected German president, Friedrich Ebert, who died in that year. Ebert, a Social Democrat of humble origin, had risen to hold the highest office in his country despite considerable opposition from the undemocratic political elite. He assumed the burden of the presidency in a country which was crisis ridden following its defeat in World War I. His own personal and often painful experience in political confrontation led him to propose the establishment of a foundation with a threefold aim: contributing to international understanding and cooperation wherever possible to avert a fresh outbreak of war and conflict; furthering a democratic, pluralistic political culture by means of political education for all classes of society; facilitating access to higher education and research for gifted young people by providing scholarships. The Foundation was immediately banned when the Nazi regime entered into power in 1933 and not re-established until 1947 after World War II. Since then, it continues to pursue those aims and values in its educational and policy-oriented work in Germany and abroad and has developed extensive programmes in each of the above areas. BACK TO TOP
Priority Areas
In its work in Germany the Foundation focuses on political education towards enabling the people of the Federal Republic of Germany and its organisations to determine the future of their own society, critically analyse changes and challenges and become actively involved in the democratic political process. Activities in three educational centers and sixteen regional offices in all major parts of Germany are important in this respect and contribute as well to the social integration of East and West Germany. The wide range of subjects and questions includes all fundamental issues concerning democracy, international relations and day-to-day politics. In its educational work the FES cooperates with the German Trade Union movement and many other civil society organisations like women's associations, environmental organisations, church organisations, members of local government, development policy groups, and universities. Another important activity is practice- and future-oriented research work and consultancy, analysing the economic, social and political problems in Germany and Europe, with a particular emphasis on problems in connection with the German unification process. The concept and guidelines for these activities are provided by the report of the Future Commission of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung on economic efficiency, social cohesion and ecological sustainability. Research on social and contemporary history is dedicated to the historical context of social democracy and trade unions. The Archives of Social Democracy and the Foundation's library in Bonn preserve "both the unprinted and printed memory of the labour movement". Political and academic dialogues on foreign and security policy provide a forum for interaction between experts and the broader public. Through its publications, research projects and symposia, workshops and other forms of exchange of ideas, the Foundation annually attracts thousands of experts from economic and political life, public administration, the trade unions, the academic world and the media. A well-known feature of the Foundation's activity is the support of students and young post-graduates with outstanding academic qualifications from Germany and abroad for whom an academic education is an expression of their commitment to society, democracy and their country, and not only a first step to a successful career. Applicants must be inscribed in and studying at a German university and have successfully completed their foundation course. In its supplementary seminar programme the Foundation aims at building bridges between science and its practical application and at creating a better understanding of the purpose and the nature of democracy and political policy. BACK TO TOP
International Dialogue and Cooperation
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung maintains cooperation offices in about 90 countries and activities in more than 100 countries around the world, including more than 20 OECD countries. At present, some 70 German staff members are posted in these offices in Europe (24), Asia and the Pacific (14), the Middle East and North Africa (7), Subsahara Africa (17), Latin America and the Caribbean (13), and the USA. They coordinate the projects with the assistance of numerous local staff and their back-stoppers in the headquarters. Together with partners from national and local politics, public administration, associations, trade unions, education and research, various social groups and organisations and the media, the FES fosters dialogue among all democratic forces with the aim of bringing about a balance of interests, of deescalating conflicts and developing policy options. Approximately half of the Foundation�s annual budget is spent on these international activities. Furthermore, the Department for International Policy Analysis studies questions related to foreign policy, European integration and international economic and social politics. Through its papers and periodicals such as "Eurokolleg" and "Politikinformation Osteuropa" and the journals "International Politics and Society" (available in English) and "Nueva Sociedad" (in Spanish), the Foundation contributes to both the internal German and international debates. The Foundation co-operates closely with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) with the German trade unions. Internationally FES has long-standing working relations with the UN organisations, international trade union associations, social democratic umbrella organisations and foundations, as well as broadcasting unions and international centres for media development. In Pakistan, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung began its work in the 1980s in affiliation with Pakistani institutions and opened its own cooperation office in 1990. BACK TO TOP
Facts and Figures
The FES has its head offices in Bonn and Berlin. Board of Directors:
Chairman:	Ms. Anke Fuchs
Deputy Chairmen :	Mr. Sigmar Gabriel	Mr. Dieter Schulte
Managing Director:	Mr. Dr. Roland Schmidt
Chairmen of Honour:	Mr. Holger B�rner	Prof. Dr. Peter Glotz
	Dr. Christine Bergmann	Ms. Sabine Kaspereit
	Prof. Dr. Peter Brandt	Mr. Hans-Ulrich Klose
	Dr. J�rgen Burckhardt	Dr. h.c. Friedel Neuber
Staff: approx. 570 (2005) German staff in the head offices in Bonn and Berlin, the three academies and sixteen State and regional offices in Germany and the cooperation offices abroad. Budget: approx. 110 million Euro (2005); mainly public funding. Events: in Germany alone, more than 150,000 persons take part in some 3,000 educational courses, discussion forums and special-subject conferences every year. International cooperation: activities in more than 100 countries and more than 90 cooperation offices worldwide. Some 540 (2005) staff are employed locally in those countries. Scholarships: approx. 1,750 students received a scholarship in 2005, 260 of them from abroad. Over 400 new scholarships were awarded during the same year. Library: the largest specialized library on the German and international labour movement with over 650,000 volumes. Archives: the largest collection of documents on the history of the labour movement in Germany. In addition to that there is a growing collection of bequests of German politicians, e.g. the Willy Brandt Archives. BACK TO TOP
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