Since its establishment on April 11, 1967, the Hanns Seidel Foundation has been practicing political education work with the aim of supporting "the democratic and civic education of the German people with a Christian basis" – as the foundation's statutes say. Hence, the political education work of the Hanns Seidel Foundation is based on a human ideal that includes both free personality development and autonomy as well as social responsibility and solidarity. Today, this mission is more important than ever, since requirements for more autonomy, a new "culture of independence" and an "active society of citizens" are increasingly evolving.

 Mission

“In the service of democracy, peace and development” – this motto is present in the work and mission of the Hanns Seidel Foundation. This motto applies both to its domestic activities – especially Bavaria – as well as its engagements abroad.

Former German President Roman Herzog once described “education on democracy” as a “permanent and intrinsic duty of political foundations”. It contributes to “citizens of an open society being able to participate in the democratic development process with as much knowledge as possible”.

Understanding of democracy must be secured again with each generation. Political contexts must be made clear, especially to young people. Only then can they be motivated to get involved themselves and take on responsibility. To put it briefly: Democracy needs political education.

Lobbying like this for their democracy and their social order that celebrates freedom and the rule of law also involves reassuring their citizens of this and anchoring in their consciousness the tenets and standards of their polity. The profound and rapid shift their country is currently experiencing reinforces the need for value orientation and rooting theirselves in reliable structures and straightforward regulatory frameworks. To put it another way: The growing pressure to innovate facing the State, society, the economy, science and technology makes returning to our historical roots and their intellectual and cultural foundations all the more necessary.

Since its founding on 11 April 1967, the Hanns Seidel Foundation has been engaged in political education with the aim of promoting the “democratic and civic education of the German people on Christian foundations” , to quote its statutes. The foundation, which is politically aligned with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, is named for the eponymous former Bavarian prime minister and CSU chairman, Hanns Seidel. Political foundations are financially, legally and organisationally independent of each party, although they do operate within the bounds of their respective party’s ideology. The Hanns Seidel Foundation embodies Christian-social values, which influence their work both domestically and abroad.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation’s political education work is based on an idea of man that incorporates the free development of personality and personal responsibility just as much as social responsibility and solidarity. Particularly in their own era, a time in which we need greater individual responsibility, their mission is to do even more to bring about a new “culture of independence” and an “active civil society”, now more than ever.