The Heinrich Böll Foundation stands for Green ideas and projects. It is a reform policy workshop for the future. It is also an international network.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation has been around for many years.
It takes its name from the writer Heinrich Böll.
A writer writes books.
There are many foundations in Germany.
The foundations support various causes.
- For people from other countries.
- For people with an illness.
- Or for people with disabilities.
A foundation receives money from private individuals.
This means:
People give money to the foundation.
Because they think the foundation's work is good.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation receives money from the state.
It uses this money to do different things that are important to the state.
But the state cannot do this itself.
These people belong to a state:
- The citizens of the state
These are the people in a country.
- The government
These are the politicians.
All together are: The state.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is party-affiliated.
This means:
The Heinrich Böll Foundation likes the party:
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.
It campaigns for the same things as the party.
There are many different people in a party.
They make policy together.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation stands up for democracy
- in Germany
- and in other countries.
In a democracy, everyone should be free to say:
- What is important to them.
- And what they don't like.
And everyone should have a say in
For example:
- Which politicians should make the rules for the country.
In many countries, however, this is not yet the case.
All people should have the same rights
And all people should have the same opportunities.
- Men and women,
- men who love men,
- women who love women,
- people with and without disabilities,
- people from other countries,
- regardless of which God people believe in.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to protecting the environment
Because many things in the environment are getting dirtier and dirtier.
For example:
- The water,
- the soil
- and the air.
The foundation has offices in many other countries
It works with many partners in other countries.
For example, with these things:
How people in poor countries get more food.
- How two countries can get along without violence.
When they had a fight.
- How electricity can be generated:
o With the sun,
o With the wind
o And with water from the sea.
The new house of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
The Heinrich Böll Foundation has a new building in Berlin.
The building is very modern.
It has brand new technology.
For example:
- There is no heating in the offices, as in other buildings.
- Instead, the offices are heated
by the exhaust air from the computers.
That's good for the environment.
When a computer is on,
it blows out air.
This air is called exhaust air.
The new building often hosts events.
For example:
- Conferences
Experts from all over the world come and talk about important topics.
- Panel discussions
Various people talk about one important topic.
- Or exhibitions
Various things are shown.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation works in these areas
Democracy for Men and Women
At the Heinrich Böll Foundation, men and women are treated equally.
For example:
- Men and women are invited to events.
- When a book is written, men and women work together.
- When the employees of the Heinrich Böll Foundation work on a project, they think carefully about:
What needs to be done to make the project good for women?
And what needs to be done to make the project good for men?
Because no one should be excluded.
And everyone should have a say.
Politics for Men and Women
All people have the same rights.
Nevertheless, some people are often treated worse than others.
For example:
- Women are often treated worse than men.
- They sometimes don't get as good jobs.
- And in some countries, they aren't allowed to participate in politics.
These groups of people are often treated worse:
- Men who love men.
- And women who love women.
For example:
They are sometimes excluded from certain things.
Because other people think the wrong things about them.
That's why the Heinrich Böll Foundation is conducting various projects in many countries on the topic of:
- Equal rights.
So that everyone understands: Equal rights are important for all people.
So that everyone can live well together.
Social participation
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to:
- That everyone in every country receives a good education.
- And that they can participate everywhere.
To achieve this, the Heinrich Böll Foundation works with strong partners in many different countries.
So that everyone in every country:
- Can have a say in politics,
- Has more rights,
- And can decide for himself:
Which God they want to believe in.
For example, in the Arab world.
The Arab world includes various countries.
For example: Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon.
Inclusion
Many people come to Germany from other countries.
They often face disadvantages:
- When they look for a job.
- Or when they go to school.
For example:
Because they don't understand the language.
That's why the Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to inclusion.
Inclusion means, for example:
All people should be able to participate everywhere.
No one should be excluded.
People from other countries should be able to:
Work together
Or go to school together.
Education
All people should have the opportunity:
To get a better job.
If they do their work well.
For example, they should be able to become the boss of a company.
In more complicated language, this means:
All people should have the same opportunities.
Because for an inclusive society, it is important:
That all people have the same opportunities.
An inclusive society means:
Many different people live together in one country.
No one is excluded.
Everyone is treated equally.
And everyone has the same opportunities.
- At school
- And at work.
That's why the Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to the following in politics:
Everyone should be able to learn many things at school.
They should be able to decide for themselves:
- What profession they want to learn.
- Or where they want to work.
So that there is an inclusive society in Germany.
European policy
The European Union makes European policy.
The abbreviation for European Union is EU.
The EU consists of many different countries.
For example: Germany, France, and Poland.
All EU countries make policy together.
For example: Energy policy
More electricity should be generated from wind power in all EU countries.
Foreign policy
The EU also wants to cooperate with countries that are not part of the EU.
Security Policy
The EU is committed to ensuring that there will be no more wars anywhere in the world.
Many EU countries have problems:
Because many people in those countries no longer have jobs.
And because many businesses in those countries no longer have any money.
That's why they can, for example:
Not give people jobs.
And they can't buy new machines.
That's bad for all EU countries.
Because countries have to help each other.
That means:
If countries are doing well, then they have to help the country that is doing badly.
For example, countries can give the country a lot of money.
Many people don't like the EU.
They say:
The EU isn't doing a good job.
Many people also know too little about the EU.
That's why the Heinrich Böll Foundation organizes many events about the EU.
Because the Heinrich Böll Foundation wants:
Everyone should know a lot about the EU.
Everyone should help:
So that the EU can do good work.
Everyone should understand:
- That the EU is important.
- The Heinrich Böll Foundation is committed to this!
Security Policy and Foreign Policy
The countries in the EU work together on many issues.
Sometimes, however, the countries have different opinions on an issue.
Then they cannot develop good policy together.
That is why, for example, each country has:
Its own security policy and its own foreign policy.
But that is not good for the EU.
The leaders of the countries in the EU must make rules.
The rules must state:
How all countries can work together to develop good security policy and good foreign policy.
All EU countries must then adhere to these rules.
This is important to the Heinrich Böll Foundation:
People from all EU countries should talk about:
- That there needs to be more peace all over the world.
- That democracy is important for all people.
- That the rights of all people all over the world are important.
Resource policy and energy policy
Everyone wants to have many things.
For example:
- Cell phones,
- Cars or clothing.
These things have to be made in factories.
And for that, factories need:
Energy and raw materials.
Energy is, for example, electricity.
And raw materials are, for example: Copper
It's an expensive metal.
Coal
It's what coal-fired power plants can use to make fire.
Coal-fired power plants still generate a lot of electricity today.
And oil Raw materials are extracted from the earth.
Factories must be economical with all raw materials.
Because some raw materials are rare in the world.
That's why researchers are constantly coming up with new ideas.
For example, how they can generate electricity:
With the sun, with the wind, and with water from the sea.
So that no raw materials are used up.
Politicians can help researchers.
For example, they have to create new laws.
The laws must state:
That a portion of the electricity must be generated without raw materials.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation organizes many events.
Politicians and researchers can talk about these laws there.
The German version of this text in Easy language was written by Büro für Leichte Sprache.
These experts for Easy language reviewed the text: Nina Rademacher and Lidija Glawaski
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