Encounter and understanding
Our support
Would you like to organise an exchange project or establish new contacts with partner organisations in Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, Central Asia or the Baltic States? We support your projects!
The West-Eastern Encounters Foundation supports youth encounters, cooperation between initiatives and associations, school projects and much more, whether it’s a climate workshop, history workshop, concert, meeting or sporting event.
We advise those seeking funding on how to plan their encounter programmes sustainably and apply for funding.
Our partner countries
Our Blog
Event ‘80 Years of Liberation from National Socialism’
To mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation from National Socialism, the West-Eastern Encounters Foundation invited participants to discuss war, the culture of remembrance, and international responsibility on 5 June 2025 in the lecture theatre ruins of the Charité Medical History Museum in Berlin.
Europe Lab: Call for participants
From 11 to 15 August, the Europe Lab 2025 will bring together young committed people from all over Europe and its neighbouring regions in Weimar to discuss social challenges and new perspectives for Europe. The focus is on dialogue, a culture of remembrance and the development of joint projects.
Focusing on Armenia
On 8 April 2025, the West-Eastern Encounters Foundation brought together dedicated individuals from the worlds of civil society, diplomacy and politics in Berlin to discuss the prospects, challenges and opportunities of such cooperation. Thank you to all the participants for the open discussion, the inspiring ideas and the commitment to strengthening the partnership.
Our mission
The West-Eastern Encounters Foundation promotes encounters between civil societies in Germany and the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The Foundation also develops its own formats and projects in collaboration with partners at home and abroad. More.
Our initiatives
The West-Eastern Encounters Foundation is a sponsor and is also active with its own formats and collaborations. We organise seminars, conferences and individual events to bring together people with an interest in and commitment to the subject to exchange ideas. Our goal is to strengthen networks, promote dialogue, and develop sustainable long-term cooperation. More.
Our statements on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
The invasion by Russian troops is bringing suffering and violence to the Ukrainian people. It is threatening international understanding and cooperation for the foreseeable future. We stand in solidarity with those affected and call for a return to the negotiating table.
Read the full statement here.
The foundation is a member of the Federal Association of German Foundations.
The foundation supports the principles of good foundation practice.
Stiftung West-Östliche Begegnungen | Nicolaihaus | Brüderstr. 13 | 10178 Berlin | Germany
Tel.: +49 30 2044840 | Mob.: +49 1512 9503173 | Fax: +49 30 20647646 | Email: info@stiftung-woeb.de
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