The
Leitbild
Sonnenberg’s Guiding Principles
”Learning
from one another and acting together in an interdependent world”
1. It is our tradition to look
forward.
2. Variety is our strength
3. Whoever wants to teach must want
to learn.
4. We take the market seriously, but
it is not sacrosanct.
5. Success is secured through our
quality and our uniqueness
The Leitbild
Preamble
The International Sonnenberg
Centre has its origins in a conference held in January 1949. Danish and German
teachers met at that time in the Harz rural centre ”Sonnenberg” to reflect on
the experiences of fascism and war and to look for new ways of international
understanding. The meeting was based on the following premise:
”Let us make a new beginning!” From this small group of people, who felt
committed to peace, democracy and the realisation of human rights, there
developed a framework of political education, which today is sustained by
members and organisations in more than 25 countries. As societies have developed
since those early days, there has been not only a change of content and
educational methodology, but also of organisational structures and financial
parameters. What, however, has remained unchanged are the shared convictions
laid down in the early 1960s: ”Talk together, overcome
prejudice, understand one another, act responsibly”. In the 1990s, the triad ”international – democratic – ecological” provided the
framework for our work.
Against this background, we present for
the future the following guiding principles:
Guiding Principle One: It is our tradition to
look forward
Educating and working for understanding is shaping the future. We
stand in the tradition of the European Enlightenment and seek debate with other
intellectual traditions.
We face up to the challenges of the present in order to be able to act
responsibly for tomorrow today. This involves knowledge of historical,
political, economic, cultural and ecological conditions.
Democracy, tolerance, social justice and environmental awareness are not
self-evident. People, including those of future generations, must actively work
for them again and again throughout the world.
The United Nations General Declaration of Human Rights and Agenda 21 are
binding upon us.
The development of Sonnenberg is characterised
by international voluntary commitment. A strong membership and qualified
voluntary help secure our future.
Guiding Principle Two: Variety is our strength
Our educational activity is directed towards all people irrespective of
gender and age, educational level, social or professional status, political,
religious or philosophical orientation and nationality.
We actively support the free development of the personality and provide
knowledge, abilities and skills to help shape society.
Openness, human warmth and mutual respect characterise our work.
At Sonnenberg people meet, who already embody
a united
We are constructing a network for democracy, tolerance and friendship.
One part of this is the International Sonnenberg
Association with national Sonnenberg groups and
individual members worldwide.
Guiding Principle Three: Whoever wants to teach
must want to learn.
Because we demand self-critical thinking in our dealings with others, we
are also prepared to question our own activities.
People and their environment arouse our curiosity. This is the
fundamental pre-condition for intercultural, social and ecological learning.
Learning processes, which we undertake together with conference
participants, are guided without formal hierarchies.
We exchange opinions, discover similarities and differences, work for
understanding and search together for solutions to problems. To this end we
employ creative learning methods and activities.
Our approach as a learning institution is reflected in our organisation.
Developing and pursuing common goals are features of our corporate culture.
Guiding Principle Four: We take the market
seriously, but it is not sacrosanct
We are an organisation based on ideals, active in a market-oriented
society.
We maintain that political education is a task for the state and to this
end actively participate in networks.
We work according to management principles in as far as they help our
goals and our work. Commercial considerations, output orientation and
sufficient resources guarantee our existence and independence.
Through customer awareness we gain and retain clients, conference guests
and members. The satisfaction of their needs and expectations is central to our
task.
Global thinking is complemented by local activity. We offer and seek
co-operation at a regional, national and international level.
Guiding Principle
Five: Success is secured by our quality and our uniqueness
The yardstick for our quality is the praise and criticism of our guests
and members.
Quality begins with the professionalism and open-mindedness of the Sonnenberg Team. It is a constant and all-embracing
challenge.
Our unique position comes from the intercultural tradition of our work
and the support from our international member organisations, but also from the
position of our campus in the
Through reinforcing and drawing attention to that which makes us unique,
we become more attractive, enhance our unmistakable profile and gain
competitive advantage.
The expression of our all-round quality is in the last analysis the
actual match of Sonnenberg reality with these guiding
principles.