During a meeting with the Managing Director of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Dr. Roland Schmidt, Karola Becker, Member of the Board of the Internationaler Bund (IB), and Richard Schottdorf, Managing Director of the IB International Cooperation, had the opportunity to exchange ideas on how to strengthen the networking of the two organizations at their joint locations abroad.
Both organizations have a common focus on democracy promotion. Roland Schmidt has been responsible for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, founded in 1925, for more than 17 years. Today, the FES is still the oldest and largest party-affiliated foundation in Germany. With its more than 100 missions abroad, the Foundation maintains a network in many countries that are also of great relevance to the IB.
"The promotion of democracy is a core topic for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and we observe with concern the development in many countries in Europe and Asia", explains Roland Schmidt. "With its Foundation Black, Red, Colorful and its Campaign for Democracy and Acceptance, the IB is actively engaged against all forms of xenophobia, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, sexism and violence. Democracy promotion is one of our core issues," explains Karola Becker. "This applies not only to our work in Germany, but also abroad," adds Richard Schottdorf.
In the further discussion it was agreed to continue the common exchange of ideas in particular also with and in the countries, in which both organizations are active. These include Poland, Georgia, the People's Republic of China and Turkey.
