Who we are

The Center for Liberal Modernity is a political think tank and a debating platform. LibMod stands for the defense and renewal of liberal democracy, for the promotion of ecological modernity and for profound expertise in Eastern Europe.

Mission

Liberal democracy faces growing challenges across the globe. In this time of funda­mental change, we need an honest and trans­parent debate about the future of our society and the global order. To this end, we at LibMod

  • contribute to the defence of open societies and to the renewal of liberal democracy.
  • focus on the inter­section of climate change mitigation, a modern economy and liberal democracy.
  • promote foreign and security policies that are both realistic and respect human rights.
  • strive to advance democracy and EU integration in the countries of Eastern Europe.

Our work is independent and non-partisan.

Values

We believe that individual freedoms and social respon­si­bility, self-deter­mi­nation and strong public insti­tu­tions form a symbiotic relationship. We strongly advocate for liberal democracy as the best guarantee for the protection of human rights and dignity. We are committed to environ­mental progress and a liberal climate policy. We do not confuse a love for peace with defencelessness.

What we do

We employ a range of approaches to attain our objectives:

  • We develop analyses and policy recommendations.
  • We publish studies, policy papers and other written materials in collab­o­ration with partners and external specialists.
  • We host confer­ences, expert talks and forums, ranging from inter­na­tional events to informal discussions.
  • We bring together individuals from politics, academia, business and civil society.
  • We facil­itate sound policy discus­sions and political education.
  • Our websites, first and foremost libmod.de, serve as platforms for debates.

Legal form and financing

LibMod is a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH), which is legally barred from making profits and is obliged to use all fund alloca­tions for charity purposes as per our statutes.

Our financing is derived from project funds from public in- stitu­tions, private founda­tions, and associ­a­tions as well as donations. Moreover, we receive insti­tu­tional funding from the federal budget like other think tanks and educa­tional insti­tu­tions. The use of our funds undergoes regular auditsby both our donors, the Federal Audit Court (Bundesrech­nungshof) and the financial administration.

Co-operation partners and funding organ­i­sa­tions (2017 – 2023)*: 

We would like to thank all our co-operation partners and sponsors, including:

Alliance for Open Society Inter­na­tional, German Federal Foreign Office, Baden-Württemberg-Foundation, Bertelsmann-Foundation, Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA), Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, The German Aerospace Indus­tries Associ­ation (BDLI), German Aviation Associ­ation, The Federal Agency for Civic Education, Chemie Wirtschafts­förderungs-GmbH, Contes­ta­tions of the Liberal Script — SCRIPTS, Deutsche Bundess­tiftung Umwelt (DBU), Engagement Global (BMZ), European Climate Foundation, Forum 2000, Friede Springer Foundation, Non-profit Hertie Foundation, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, National Philantrophic Trust, Prague Civil Society Forum, Press and Infor­mation Office of the Federal Government, Robert Bosch Foundation, State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, Stiftung Mercator, The Khodor­kovsky Foundation, Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI), Zeit Stiftung Bucerius, Zukunft Gas.

* This includes co-operation partners from which libmod also received grants.

Share­holders

Ralf Fücks
Managing Partner
Former Chairman of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
Former Senator of the State of Bremen

Marie­luise Beck
Former Parlia­mentary State Secretary

Deidre Berger
Tikvah Institute

Prof. Hans Fleisch
Lawyer/​Of Counsel at Flick Gocke Schaumburg
Former Secretary General of the Associ­ation of German Foundations

Armin Hut­ten­lo­cher
Political consultant and publicist
Focus on conflict and crisis regions in Eastern Europe, the Near and Middle East and regions in Africa

Dr. Maritta Koch-Weser
Founder and President, Earth3000 gGmbH

John Korn­blum
Former U.S. Ambas­sador to Germany

Alex­an­dra Gräfin Lambsdorff
Chair­woman of the Board of Trustees, Quistorp Foundation

Sabine Leu­theus­ser-Schnar­ren­ber­ger
Vice Chair­woman, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

Karin Prien
Minister for Education, Science and Culture of the State of Schleswig-Holstein

Prof. Gert Weisskirchen
Former Member of the Bundestag, Eastern Europe expert

Advisory board

Yurii Andrukhovych
Writer

Yev­ge­nia Belorusets
Artist and writer

Mari­anne Birthler
Former member of the People’s Chamber of the GDR
Former Federal Commis­sioner for the Stasi Records

Svetlana Gannushkina
Winner of the Alter­native Nobel Prize
Director, refugee aid organ­i­sation Civic Assis­tance Committee and “Migration and Law” Network of human rights organ­i­sation Memorial

Gustav C. Gressel
Senior Policy Fellow, Euro­pean Council on Foreign Relations

Rebecca Harms
Member of the European Parliament

John Herbst
Direkctor, Dinu Patri­ciu Eurasia Center, Atlan­tic Council
Former ambassador

Dr. Karen Horn
University lecturer in the history of economic ideas
Editor-in-Chief, journal Perspec­tives on Economic Policy
Freelance author

Thomas Kleine-Brock­­hoff
Vice President and Director of the Europe Programme,
The German Marshall Fund of the United States

Dr. Fred Luks
Head of the Compe­tence Centre for Sustainability,
Vienna University of Economics and Business

Ahmad Mansour
Psychol­ogist
Chairman, Muslim Forum Deutschland e.V.

Markus Meckel
Last Foreign Minister of the GDR
Former Member of the Bundestag

Barbara Monheim
Chair­woman, German-Polish-Ukrainian Society

Prof. Dr. Armin Nassehi 
Professor of General Sociology and Social Theory,
Ludwig Maxim­ilian University, Munich

Ruprecht Polenz
President, German Society for Eastern European Studies
Former Member of the German Bundestag

Prof. Timothy Snyder
Historian, Yale University
Author of Blood­lands

Sylke Tempel (†)
DGAP
Former Editor-in-Chief, Inter­na­tional Politics