Chornobyl set a civic movement in motion — and laid the foundation for environmental engagement in Ukraine that continues to this day. The memory makes clear: the consequences of potential damage to nuclear facilities in wartime are real, not abstract.

The severe trauma of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster continues to shape Belarus to this day. Almost a quarter of the country was contaminated. Nevertheless, long-time President Alexander Lukashenko is leading the country into strong nuclear dependence on Russia.

Heinrich Böll is our namesake. He lived from 1917 to 1985. He was a best-selling author, read in schools, and his works have been translated into many languages; some novels have been adapted into films. Böll used his public presence to advocate for democracy and human rights, convinced that "language, love, and connection make us human." Böll was a public intellectual, a moralist, a Cologne native, a Catholic, a smoker, a humanitarian, and a family man. 

We are the Heinrich Böll Foundation – political, independent, and located in the heart of Berlin. We are not affiliated with the Green Party, but we are autonomous. We champion green values ​​and actively participate in the struggle for freedom, justice, and a future worth living.