Mourning Guido Westerwelle

On March 16, Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s former foreign minister and member of our Board of Trustees, dies at the age of 55. Westerwelle was closely associated with the Bertelsmann Stiftung. At several conferences on the European Neighbourhood Policy, for example, he pressed for greater engagement with the Arab world and the democratic transformation taking place there.

Founding of the Forum for Education and Digitalization

In May, the Bertelsmann Stiftung is joined by the Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Siemens Stiftung to launch the Forum for Education and Digitalization. Stiftung Mercator provides additional funding for the project. The initiative serves as a platform for all leading actors from educational practice, politics, academia, business and society. The goal is to work together to identify opportunities, requirements and suitable strategies for promoting digital education in Germany.

Establishment of the Founders Foundation

In spring, the Bertelsmann Stiftung establishes the nonprofit Founders Foundation, which supports up-and-coming entrepreneurs as they launch their startups. The goal is to use training events, workshops, networking and workspaces to motivate people with innovative ideas to create businesses in the region of East Westphalia–Lippe. A Founders Academy and Founders Camp round out the organization’s offerings.

Reinhard Mohn Prize for Klaus Schwab

The founder and chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, receives the 2016 Reinhard Mohn Prize in recognition of his pioneering efforts in the area of responsible entrepreneurship. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim gives the presentation speech. As early as the 1970s, Schwab developed an approach that businesses could use to assume social responsibility. When implementing his approach, Schwab always relied on dialogue and an exchange of knowledge and ideas. With the World Economic Forum, Schwab created a unique platform for achieving that goal.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung expands its refugee-related work

The Bertelsmann Stiftung responds to the issue dominating life in Germany: the refugee situation. A total of 35 projects will now address the areas “Departure and Displacement,” “Local Integration,” “Integration through Education,” “Integration through Work,” and “Social Cohesion.” All relevant stakeholders and levels of government and civil society are included in the efforts, as are the countries of origin. Consult our dossier for the latest news on our activities in this area.