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To
safeguard peace, freedom and justice; to strengthen democratic
institutions; to combat poverty; and to preserve a sound
natural environment for the generations yet to come –
these are the global challenges of today.
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Konrad-Adenauer
Foundation
Suite 18-1, Leval 18
Menara Genesis
33 Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-2713 7321
Fax: 603-2713 7320
Email: kaskul@pd.jaring.my
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The Konrad Adenauer Foundation
For more
than 40 years, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation has been co-operating
with partners in over 120 countries in order to cope with these
challenges.
KAF’s
international activities aim at
• implementing the principle
of non-violent conflict resolution,
• supporting democracy, the
rule of law and a vibrant civil society,
• respecting human rights and
promoting human responsibilities,
• furthering mutual understanding,
respect, appreciation
• and co-operation between different
nations, cultures, ethnics and religions,
• promoting the unique German
concept of social market economy,
• i.e. a holistic concept of
a sustainable market economy
• encompassing well-balanced
economic, social, ecological
• and ethical development,
• fighting the causes of poverty,
and
• encouraging environment protection.
In fact,
this is an active peace policy on a global scale.
The Konrad Adenauer
Foundation was named after the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic
of Germany and is guided by the principles of Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967),
who is one of the founding fathers of a modern, peaceful and truly
democratic Germany and of a united Europe, too. In addition, KAF’s
values are derived from both the Catholic Christian Social Teachings
and the Protestant Christian Ethics. However, KAF is open to all
faiths and belief systems as well as to atheists and non-believers,
as long as they subscribe in word and deed to the universal values
of peace, freedom, justice, human rights, democracy and the rule
of the law.
Legally speaking,
KAF is a non-governmental organization registered in the German
Registrar of Societies and recognised by the German Inland Revenue
as a non-profit-making institution. It has strong ties to the
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Party for which KAF serves as
a think-tank and a training institution. However, all KAF training
programmes are open to the general public, too.
The Konrad
Adenauer Foundation was founded in 1956 in order to conduct civic
education for public servants, public opinion leaders and politically-interested
citizens in order to promote peace, freedom, justice, democracy,
the rule of law and the unique German concept of social market
economy (Soziale Marktwirtschaft).
In Germany,
KAF – apart from its headquarters in Berlin – operates
an academy, two centres and 21 institutes of political education.
More than 60 representative offices abroad are running dialogue,
education and development programmes together with over 200 foreign
partner organizations in more than 120 countries.
 Peace
and freedom, these are the foundations of humane existence.
Without peace and freedom, nations cannot develop, and
mankind can enjoy neither happiness nor tranquility.
Peace
for the individual is impossible without peace for the
community. Nor can peace for the individual be achieved
without peace for the entire nation. But peace without
freedom is no peace at all.
Konrad
Adenauer, 1952
Our
enemies of today are not other nations. Our enemies of
today are poverty, ignorance, disease and discrimination.
What we need is co-operation based on the idea that the
entire world is one human family. Ignorance and lack of
understanding among Asian, African and Western nations
is the greatest danger we are facing today.
Konrad
Adenauer, 1957
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 “Without
knowledge about each other, there can be no mutual understanding
and appreciation. And, without mutual understanding there can
be neither mutual respect nor mutual trust. This is why the Konrad
Adenauer Foundation shall continue its programmes of inter-cultural
and inter-religious dialogues which have proved successful for
decades.
The interaction
of different religions, cultures and philosophical belief systems
is the challenge of today. Therefore, inter-cultural dialogue
is important. Every responsible politician has to promote it and
has to participate in this dialogue.”
Bernhard
Vogel, KAF Chairman, 2002
 “The
Konrad Adenauer Foundation counters the horror scenario of a clash
of civilizations with the future vision of a permanent inter-cultural
dialogue.
We need to
have more knowledge about each other and, in consequence, more
mutual understanding and appreciation.”
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Wilhelm
Staudacher, KAF Secretary General, 2002
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