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