Country Profiles: Germany - Institute for Cultural Diplomacy

place for counselling traumatized and psychologically distraught refugees. In addition to
offering aid to refugees, the organisation also endeavours to inform the public about the
situation of refugees. 114
The Institute for Occupational Training and Social Management was established in 1998 and
mainly engages with educational and counselling projects. 115 The institute puts special
emphasis on the constantly changing requirements of a dynamic labour market. Spuku was
chosen as an example of cultural diplomacy in German civil society as it was initiated by this
sector through the NGOs Refugio Thüringen and the Institute for Occupational Training and
Social Management. Content-wise, the project is an excellent illustration of cultural
diplomacy as it aims not only to improve communication and understanding across cultures,
but also to support the successful integration of individuals with a migration background
into the German labour market. Although the initiative is of local scope its potential is
national, perhaps even international.
8.2 ZEIT Foundation Ebelin & Gerd Bucerius
Agent of cultural diplomacy: ZEIT Foundation, Bucerius Law School, Bucerius Kunst
Forum, American Friends of Bucerius
Agenda: Promotion of scholarship and education programmes as well as cultural initiatives
Vehicle of Cultural Diplomacy: Summer schools, educational programmes, forums,
scholarships
Target Audience: Students from all levels of the educational system
The ZEIT Foundation Ebelin & Gerd Bucerius was established in 1971 by the founder of the
German newspaper Die Zeit, Gerd Bucerius. Today the foundation is one of the most
influential organisations in Germany focusing on funding scholarships and educational
programmes as well as supporting cultural initiatives. 116 Much of its work is carried out by the
Bucerius Law School (founded in 2000) and the Bucerius Kunst Forum (Forum for the Arts,
founded in 2002).
As one of the biggest foundations in Germany, the ZEIT Foundation sponsors a wide array of
programmes, organisations, and initiatives. Among these are several which are of interest
from a culturally diplomatic point of view.
In the field of Research and Scholarship the Bucerius Ph.D. Scholarship Programme in
Migration Studies ‘Settling Into Motion‛ is an example of an activity which can be considered
as cultural diplomacy. The scholarship is awarded to 6 to 8 candidates annually whose
research is focused on migration, its reasons and consequences. 117 As such, the Ph.D.
students are advocates of cultural diplomacy through their contributions towards a field
which is of central importance to the debate on cultural diplomacy. Also, within the sector of
Arts and Culture, the ZEIT Foundation supports various initiatives which have a cultural
diplomatic value. An illustration of this is the foundation’s support of the Museum of
Ethnology in Hamburg (Museum für Völkerkunde Hamburg). 118 The museum’s event ‘Um
Alles in der Welt ” Lessingtage 2012‛ 119 is an active exercise of what Mark Donfried describes
as a ‘new‛ cultural diplomacy 120 ” an exchange of information about different cultures,
rather than a nation branding effort conducted by countries to promote their cultural image