Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Marks 30 Years in Zagreb

The 30th anniversary of the opening of the office of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) for Croatia and Slovenia was marked at the Novinarski dom in Zagreb. The Foundation’s work has been characterized by long-standing cooperation with progressive actors, above all trade unions, non-governmental organizations, and political partners.

The anniversary celebration on Tuesday, 14 April, brought together partners and participants in the FES programs. The ceremonial tone of the event was further enhanced by welcome addresses from the ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Germany to Croatia and Slovenia, Prof. Dr. Pascal Hector and Sylvia Groneick.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung is the oldest political foundation in Germany and is named after Friedrich Ebert, the country’s first democratically elected president. Its work is guided by the core values of social democracy: freedom, justice, and solidarity.

The FES activities include political education and advisory work, the publication of studies and reports, international cooperation through a network of offices in more than 100 countries, support for talented young people through scholarships, and programs dealing with the past.

In her speech, the FES Director for Croatia and Slovenia, Dr. Sonja Schirmbeck, thanked the dedicated team of the FES as well as all those present. She emphasized that many partner organizations with which the FES has cooperated over this long period—such as trade unions, civil society organizations, the academic community, and independent journalists—are facing numerous challenges. These include financial insecurity, a lack of a culture of dialogue, and the withdrawal of international organizations, which further underscores the importance of the FES continued work in Croatia and Slovenia.

Project coordinator Tijana Defar stated: “When Professor Nenad Zakošek and I began working in the newly opened office in Zagreb in 1996, we expected that democracy and the rule of law would develop much more naturally. We could not have anticipated that there would still be such a strong need for political education in Croatia today.”

She added that the FES approach has evolved over time: “At the beginning, we believed that knowledge and experience should be transferred from Germany to Croatia, but that is no longer necessarily the case. Today, we find many examples of good practice in countries such as neighboring Slovenia,” Defar concluded.