We perceive of democracy as a socio-political process driven by citizens' active participation and democratic institutions. "It is apt to say that the term 'democratisation' epitomises the most universal socio-political imperative of our age" (Hennis 1970).

Democratisation is a chief tenet of green politics and a central issue in political education. Still it is often far from clear how to translate the general notion of democratisation into concrete projects, campaigns, or educational programmes. "Civil society" is one such concept which, while widely embraced, is very contentious when it comes to questions of implementation. Other such issues are the crisis of party democracy, the media and democracy, as well as numerous fundamental questions surrounding the relationship between politics and science. All of these are part of the foundation's activities. A further focus of our work are programmes that tackle far-right politics and racism. For us political education means getting people involved, empowering people to participate in political processes, and advising political activists.

Concerning the EU and European policy, our focus is mainly on the following areas: Democracy and participation in the European Union; ecology and sustainable development; EU enlargement; a common European foreign and security policy; and the future of labour and social policy.

Интернет-трансляция

И все-таки она движется? Армения после президентских выборов

February 27, 2013 - Дискуссия в Фонде им. Генриха Бёлля в Берлине Среда, 27-го февраля, 19 ч.
Выступающие:
Гаяне Шагоян (Национальная Академия Наук, Ереван)
Александр Искандарян (Институт Кавказа, Ереван)
Микаэль Золян (Университет им. В. Брюсова, Ереван)
Ведущая:
Нино Лежава (Южнокавказский Фонд им. Генриха Бёлля) для прямой передачи»

Playing with Statues: Stalin Here and Now

- Historical memory is the retrospective form of collective memory, which determines the nation’s collective identity. Nino Lejava more»

Web dossier

Rethinking Soviet Past

- Debating the totalitarian part of a country’s history is a precondition to shape the transition process dedicated to democratic values. Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office presents a web-dossier with initiatives, events and publications aimed to rethink Georgia’s Soviet past. more»

Presentation of the project

"Publishing of the Collection of Archival Documents, related to 5-9 March, 1956"

- On 9 March 1956 Soviet Army tanks entered Tbilisi and put down the uprising. The exact number of casualties remains unknown. Nor is it known who gave the order to use force against peaceful protesters. These important events in Soviet history remain virtually unstudied to this day. A. Vasileva more»

Red Terror Topography

- In the small hours of the morning on June 25, 2010, the Georgian government removed a statue of the Joseph Stalin from the central square of his hometown of Gori. Georgian media and civil society were instantly abuzz with talk about dismantling the dictator’s statue and the ambivalent views many Georgian still hold about Stalin and his era. The Heinrich Boell Foundation (HBF), in cooperation with DVV International and the new non-governmental organization “The Soviet Past Research Laboratory,” has been developing an innovative project about the Stalin era to provide a new means for Georgians to address their past. Official action to move the Stalin statue from the central square to a nearby museum shows that the time is right for looking back at Georgia’s history. 

“The Topography of Red Terror” will develop routes and tours showing buildings and places associated with Soviet terror and repression. Guides will be trained to explain and interpret the sites for Georgians and international visitors. By directly encountering the locations where people in Georgia experienced injustice at the hands of the state, citizens and visitors can have a more vital understanding of the shape.

more»