Amadeu Antonio Foundation

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Amadeu Antonio Foundation
Amadeu Antonio Stiftung
Named afterAmadeu Antonio Kiowa
Formation1998
FounderKarl Konrad Graf von der Groeben
PurposeEngaging against right-wing parties, racism and anti-Semitism
Location
  • Germany
Leader Anetta Kahane
Website www.amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de

The Amadeu Antonio Foundation, established in 1998, is a German foundation engaging against far-right-wing parties, racism and antisemitism (including anti-Zionism). [1] [2] It was founded by Karl Konrad Graf von der Groeben, with author Anetta Kahane appointed as its chairwoman and Wolfgang Thierse, the former president of the Bundestag, named as its patron.

Contents

The Foundation is named after Amadeu Antonio Kiowa, one of the first victims of far-right violence after the reunification of Germany in 1990. [3]

Work of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation

The Foundation devises and executes a variety of projects campaigns, both online and offline, and collaborates with diverse institutions in the media, in civil society and at state level. Its work has included the following:

Alongside this online provision, the Foundation carries out a significant amount of operating work. Through this, it considers possible strategies against right-wing extremism on the local level and researches the structure of the scene (for example, the examination of the role of women in the movement). [6] One such project is “Kein Ort für Neonazis” (No Place for Neo-Nazis). Here the Foundation provides financial, administrative and expertise support for initiatives immediately prior to local, state or federal elections. Another project is “Region in Aktion” (region in action), which analyses how civil society can be supported in the wake of electoral victories by far-right parties in rural areas such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg. The Foundation also builds networks between initiatives at local level, promoting alternative youth cultures and communities to weaken the support for intolerance and racism. [7] Within its financial support, the Foundation has so far supported more than 770 initiatives and projects which engage with racism, anti-Semitism, and right-wing extremism, and which advocate for a democratic culture and the rights of minorities. [8]

Strategic partners

The Foundation leverages its profile and resources to expand its role beyond Germany. Through developing strategic partnerships around Europe and in the United States, the Foundation hopes to meet challenges abroad with the same success and determination that it has at home. Its partners in Germany and abroad are as follows:

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Amadeu Antonio Kiowa was an Angolan man who resided in Germany as a foreign worker. He became one of the first known victims of far-right racist violence in reunified Germany. The verdicts reached during the course of the trial of the murderers were widely criticised as being too lax, as the court had sentenced them to four years in prison for bodily injury that resulted in death. Much of public opinion and the media had called for homicide charges to be filed. The Amadeu Antonio Foundation was founded in his memory in 1998.

References

  1. Charity Vault, German Charities: The Amadeu Antonio Stiftung Charity in Berlin
  2. "deconstruct antisemitism! Recognizing antisemitic codes and metaphors". Amadeu Antonio Foundation. n.d. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  3. "Light Sentences Against Germans Who Killed Foreigner Stir Debate". The New York Times . September 16, 1992. Archived from the original on 2016-07-09.
  4. "Mut gegen rechte Gewalt". stern.de.
  5. "ZEIT ONLINE | Lesen Sie zeit.de mit Werbung oder im PUR-Abo. Sie haben die Wahl". www.zeit.de. Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  6. "New report criticizes German handling of neo-Nazis | DW | 14.08.2012". DW.COM.
  7. "Website of the foundation, Overview about campaigns and fundings". Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  8. "Website of the Foundation, Bilanz 2015 (German)". Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-11.