Financing of projects

The north church promotes, the church overseas development service, projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In this way making a contribution to more global justice is shown. At the same time the church wants to promote a critical understanding for the global, economic, social, political and ecological influences that shape our lives. The educational offer of the church overseas development service has the aim to understand the interconnection among our own life and of people all over the world. Together with others the church wants to create a worldwide social change through the communication of abilities, settings and values. We want to connect people and promote their engagement supporting a fairer and more sustainable world. Our aid programs are available for church and non-church groups and initiatives in Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein. Every two years the north church announces the "one world price". This price honors initiatives, groups, church municipalities or individuals for their engagement. The theological bases, definitions, structures and quality criterions of the educational work are summarized in the concept for the development educational work of the north church.

The fund works as a sponsoring foundation. It fosters projects that serve the purposes of better understanding among peoples, the interests of survivors of the National Socialist regime, youth exchange, social justice, remembrance of the threat posed by totalitarian systems and despotism, and international cooperation in humanitarian endeavours.

Through global learning, scholastic education becomes part of the international world. The process of global learning will help students understand the concept of the One World, and it will allow them to identify the interrelations between various global issues. While inspiring them to address questions that have remained unsolved, it will also encourage young people to take active part in shaping the world of tomorrow.

It was with this in mind that the German state of Baden-Württemberg created the Foundation for Development Cooperation in 1991. The SEZ's main focus lies on education and public relations with regards to the relationship between the northern and the southern hemispheres. We see ourselves as an advisory center for individuals and groups that have taken an interest in the so-called "Third World". Our main objective is to support exchange and networking between individuals and groups involved in development policy, and to assist private, communal and regional initiatives working in the context of the Third World.

In the educational sector, the foundation acts as an information center for global learning in Baden-Württemberg. We are able to provide schools with a variety of information, ideas, advice, and teaching materials concerning the "One World". The resources we offer include various publications and workshop materials.

While offering advice, we also help schools design workshops and establish contacts with guest speakers and artists. We offer assistance in all aspects and stages of projects such as exchange programs or the twinning of schools. In addition, we advise those who are interested in gaining work experience abroad, for example as an intern. We see ourselves as a forum for exchange and continuing education, and we cooperate with higher state departments of education in order to hold seminars and workshops on a regular basis.

Equipment of the protestant land church in Wurttemberg for development related educational work.