The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) is a political foundation. In Germany, 16 regional offices offer a wide variety of civic education conferences and events. Our offices abroad are in charge of over 200 projects in more than 120 countries. The foundation’s headquarters are situated in Sankt Augustin near Bonn, and also in Berlin. There, an additional conference center, named “The Academy”, was opened in 1998.
We are proud to bear the name of Konrad Adenauer. The first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany’s name and principles are our guidelines, duty, and obligation. Established in 1955 as “Society for Christian-Democratic Civic Education”, the Foundation took on the name of the first Federal Chancellor in 1964.
At home as well as abroad, our civic education programs aim at promoting freedom and liberty, peace, and justice. We focus on consolidating democracy, the unification of Europe and the strengthening of transatlantic relations, as well as on development cooperation.
As a think-tank and consulting agency, our soundly researched scientific fundamental concepts and current analyses are meant to offer a basis for possible political action. The Berlin Academy is the national forum of dialogue between the spheres of politics, economy, science, and society.
Our conferences and events attract people who 'have something to say'. In Germany, we offer more than 2,500 events per year which attract 145,000 participants. We provide moral and material support to intellectually gifted young people, not only from Germany, but also from Central and Eastern Europe and developing countries. We stay in close contact with our more than 10.000 alumni.
Exhibitions, readings, and awards are also distinctive elements of our work. We promote young artists, and annually award our prestigious Literary Prize. Our scholarship programs help young journalists by offering them projects specifically geared to their needs. Since 1980, we have annually awarded a prize for excellent local journalism. Since 2002, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has awarded its “Prize Social Market Economy” to personalities of exceptional merit in safeguarding and developing the social market economy.
The Archive for Christian Democratic Politics researches and studies the history of Christian Democracy in Germany and Europe. Interested readers profit from an enormous number of documents, modern media, and a library containing more than 157,000 publications on politics and contemporary history.
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Washington Office
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Washington Office was established in the late 1970s. Along with a director dispatched from Germany and a team of local staff members, the KAS Washington Office publishes essays and studies and organizes seminars, workshops, panels, conferences and visiting programs on the following key topics: (Cyber) Security, business and trade, European policy and transatlantic relations, as well as digital innovation and technology, and development policy.
The KAS Washington Office maintains contact with a considerable network of relevant stakeholders throughout the United States. In addition to providing service and know-how exchange in transatlantic issues for our target groups, the Washington Office acts as an increasingly important intermediary for KAS offices and partners in Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
The involvement of Senators and members of the House of Representatives of both parties in transatlantic dialogue programs constitutes another focal point in the work of the Washington Office. Members of Congress as well as their staffers regularly take part in events hosted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Washington and Germany.
Over the past decades the KAS Washington Office has maintained a close relationship with the Jewish community in the United States, which has been a pioneering achievement among German foundations. Through roundtable discussions, yearly exchange programs, and regularly occurring conferences and meetings, the KAS Washington Office has facilitated an important network for cultural exchange between representatives from Germany and the Jewish community in the United States. This has led to further cooperation and understanding, and will continue to take a prominent position in the work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Washington.