Publications

Strengthening democracy, promoting equality, combating ecological crises - the Heinrich Böll Foundation combines educational work with international commitment. Active around the world, it follows the guiding principle of its namesake: get involved, help shape the future.

As a political foundation, we are independent of the party and parliamentary group, but at the same time we are an integral part of the green movement. The headwind that blows in our face is getting tougher every day. 

Fostering democracy and human rights, taking action to prevent the destruction of the global ecosystem, advocating socio-environmental change, promoting equality between women and men, and defending the freedom of individuals against excessive state and economic power - these are some of the main goals that inspire the ideas and actions of our Foundation. In our Annual Report 2022, we report on our work at home and abroad.

As we write this in March of 2022, our review of the year 2021 is overshadowed by Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. Because of this, not only foreign policy, but also domestic politics have now entered a new era. We are facing enormous challenges that also have a strong impact on our work here at the Foundation.

The year 2020 marks the beginning of an unprecedented pandemic that continues to hold us all in its grip. In many countries, the health crisis is intertwined with political, economic, environmental, and social crises. Inequality, poverty, and hunger are rising sharply. Climate change is leaving its mark all over the world.

Our foundation fights for democracy and human rights, argues for the social-ecological change, pleads for a solidary Europe and an equal social participation of all citizens. In our Annual Report 2019, we report on our work at home and abroad.

In 2018, our priorities included climate justice, energy and mobility transitions, responsible resource policies, the strengthening of democracy and human rights, and the protection of minorities. Our Annual Report provides information on our multifaceted work in Germany and abroad.

The annual report 2016 gives an overview about the activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation inland and overseas. It deals with European policy, democracy, human rights, international power relations, the social and environmental transformation, art and culture to mention but a few.

The annual report 2015 of the Heinrich Böll Foundation offers an overview about the work in that year of the 31 international offices worldwide and 16 state-level Böll Foundations in Germany.

The annual report 2014 informs about the activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation inland and overseas. It deals with democracy, human rights, European policy, the Great Transition, arts, culture, the work of the Gunda Werner Institute to mention but a few.

The annual report 2013 of the Heinrich Böll Foundation summarizes the Foundation's work on the topics European policy, ecology and justice, democracy and human rights, foreign and security policy, education, social participation and opportunities for advancement.

In recent months, a number of rapid and dramatic developments have unfolded that demand our attention. The most prominent of these include the tsunami and the ensuing nuclear reactor crisis in Japan, political upheavals in North Africa and the Middle East, and most recently the Green Party‘s swift rise in popularity in Ger many, which led to the election of Germany‘s first Green Minister President at the federal state level – namely in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

We are living in extraordinary times! Human-induced climate change is taking place at an unprecedented scale, and the world is caught up in a financial and economic crisis of historic proportions. We can overcome these crises only by undertaking major, joint international efforts.

In June 2008, the Heinrich Böll Foundation moved into its new home on Schumannstrasse 8 in Berlin’s Mitte district. The new building, based on designs by the Swiss architectural firm e2A, offers the Foundation’s approximately 180 employees a bright new working environment.

Climate change is upon us – it is not only a measurable phenomenon in our natural environment, but has also ascended to the top of the political agenda . Our goal is to ensure that declarations of intent and resolutions are followed by genuine shifts in priorities and behavior, particularly in the field of energy policy .

In the past decades, German society has become ethnically, religiously and culturally diverse. Germany has in fact long since become an immigration society; but we are still lagging behind that reality in the public consciousness and in integrating immigrants via the educational system and the labor market.

On Human Rights Day, December 10, 2004, Wangari Maathai, recipient of the Petra Kelly Prize and longtime project partner of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation’s activities strive to meet the new challenges arising from the sweeping changes in global economic, social and security policy. For example, the agenda on foreign and security policy is in a phase of profound transformation; this was further accelerated by 9/11 and the political turmoil due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

After 1989, the end of the East-West conflict initially raised hopes for an end to warlike conflict and political divisions throughout the world.

No event in recent years has influenced our international civic education activities as suddenly and completely as the terrorist acts of September 11, as well as the subsequent invocation of Article 5 of the NATO Charter and the military intervention in Afghanistan.

This report is designed to provide a brief overview of our work during the year 2000, thus satisfying the increasing demand for information on the Foundation’s activities abroad.