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The Week in Germany: Current Affairs March 30, 2007 German Political Foundations: The Friedrich Naumann Stiftung
This week, TWIG continues a series introducing five key German political
foundations with offices in Washington. Each of the five foundations is
affiliated with a particular political party in Germany, although their
wide-ranging public policy and humanitarian-related activities go far
beyond mere party politics. They are akin to think tanks in the United
States in some, but not all, ways. In a fourth of five installments provided
to us by the German political foundations themselves, we take a look at
the Friedrich
Naumann Foundation, which is affiliated with Germany's market-oriented
Free Democratic Party (FDP) and is guided by the principles of Liberalism
- which in Europe is espoused by Liberal political parties like the FDP
as what Americans would call "libertarianism", with its inherent
emphasis on small government, individual responsibility, tolerance and
respect for diversity. "By applying its core concepts such as human
rights, rule of law, liberal democracy and a free market economy, it has
been proven through the centuries that Liberalism offers appropriate solutions
for the present and the future in public and personal life," the
Foundation states on its website. Created in 1958 and active in more than
50 countries worldwide, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation is based in Potsdam,
near Berlin, and maintains major centers in Gummersbach (Germany), Brussels
and Washington, which is home to its Transatlantic
Dialogue Program (TAD). The Friedrich Naumann Foundation's Transatlantic Dialogue Program
Freedom. How American and German views on freedom differ was the subject of a January workshop that brought together decisionmakers from the US administration, think tanks, international organizations, lobbyists and the private sector. Stephen Kalberg (Boston University) and Rüdiger Lentz (Deutsche Welle) led the workshop discussion that was part of an event series on "Transatlantic Values in Transatlantic Relations". In December Peter Hakim (President of the Inter-American Dialogue) presented "The political consequences of Latin America's elections", another event hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and sponsored in Washington, DC.
Under its "Civil Rights - Civil Liberties" program the Foundation moreover hosted a luncheon last December called "Protecting Liberty - Fighting Terrorism. The German Experience" with Alexander Ritzmann, a German expert on terrorism and immigration policies. The Foundation has also gathered migration experts, members of parliament, and government officials from the US, Mexico, Central America and Europe for a three-day workshop on "Proposals and Perspectives on Migration" in San Diego. This was an opportunity to discuss the challenges of immigration on the US-Mexican border. In addition to organizing events on current policy challenges, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation sponsors study tours for young professionals to visit Germany and learn more on current political and economic trends in Germany and Europe. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation also coordinates programs, conferences, and - in cooperation with the German Embassy - meetings for German and European officials with senior US leadership, think tanks, international organizations and media
All of these activities are part of the Foundation's Transatlantic Dialogue Program (TAD), run out of its Washington office. The TAD, in turn, is part of the FNF's Brussels-based International Political Dialogue (IPD) program. The Foundation's Washington Office, opened in 1983, has been led by Claus Gramckow since 2005, who also serves as the Friedrich Naumann Foundation's representative to Canada. The Foundation's Washington office uses its extense network of personal contacts with decisionmakers to stay informed about current developments to better relate them to its German audience. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation, established in 1958 by the first President
of the Federal Republic of Germany, Theodor Heuss, is committed to furthering
liberal politics. Its programs at home and abroad aim at promoting the
principle of freedom of the individual in human dignity. The Foundation
is as an agent of organized liberalism, and is closely linked with Germany's
Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Liberal International (LI). The Foundation follows the ideals of its namesake Friedrich Naumann:
At the beginning of the last century the Protestant theologian was a leading
liberal thinker and politician in Germany. He resolutely backed the idea
of civic education and believed that a functioning democracy needs politically
informed and educated citizens. According to Naumann, civic education
is a prerequisite for political participation and thus for democracy. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation's Washington office proudly continues
to follow Naumann's ideals. For more information visit the International
Political Dialogue Programm at www.ipd.fnst.org
or call 202-293-0954. Links:
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