Strengthening Social Democracy in Zambia - 100 Years of the FES

Standing with the Labour Movement and committing to the Values of Democracy

This year , the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) has celebrated its 100^th birthday. As the oldest political foundation in Germany, it stands in the tradition of the labour movement and is committed to the values of social democracy. Its non-profit mission is to promote democracy and to make it strong, combative and capable of defence. We are convinced that democracy can only work if all people are given the opportunity to participate in social life and help shape society, regardless of their social background, gender, skin colour or disability/impairment.

In Zambia, our work started in the late 1960s and is guided by the principles of promoting justice, equity and participation. The Foundation in Zambia has worked on civic education, parliamentary strengthening, economic and social policy support, media freedom, and partnerships with civil society, including faith based organisations. Additionally, our institution has worked closely with trade unions as a special aspect of our portfolio. In the year 2017, the Foundation initiated a Young leaders training program, this program continues to empower a new generation of servant leaders, committed to the values of democracy, equity and social justice.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) promotes democratic awareness, fair politics and participation by:

• offering political education in the form of events and publications that are accessible to all interested parties;
• providing policy advice with the aim of informing and connecting progressive decision-makers from academia, civil society, politics, trade unions and business;
• supporting socially committed young people in their studies and training;
• connecting politics, culture, science and democratic civil society in more than 100 locations worldwide for the purpose of international understanding;
• conducting academic research on the history of German democratic history and the development and provision of the collective memory of Social Democracy.