The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is the oldest political foundation in Germany with a profound democratic tradition dating back to its foundation in 1925. The foundation owes its formation and its mission to the political legacy of its namesake Friedrich Ebert, the first democratically elected German President. Ebert, a Social Democrat from a humble crafts background who had risen to hold the highest political office in his country, in response to his own experience in political confrontation had proposed the establishment of a foundation to serve the following aims:

• furthering political and social education of individuals from all walks of life in the spirit of democracy and pluralism,
• facilitating access to university education and research for gifted young people by providing scholarships,
• contributing to international understanding and cooperation.

The work of our political foundation from the very beginning focuses therefore on the core ideas and values of social democracy – freedom, justice and solidarity. This connects us also to the German and international social democratic family. As a non-profit institution however, we organize our work autonomously and independently.

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