In the mirror of historical responsibility?
Democratic values as a compass for business conductt
Against the backdrop of the resurgence of right-wing extremist ideologies and the associated threat to democracy and the economic landscape of Germany, many companies are seeking new ways and opportunities to address their own past. However, even 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the examination of a company's history in the context of National Socialism is making slow progress in only a few companies.
In this context, the Foundation EVZ, in cooperation with the Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Foundation, is hosting a joint event.
When? October 8, 2024, 6 p.m. (Admission from 5:30 p.m.)
Where? Allianz Forum am Brandenburger Tor (Pariser Platz 6, 10117 Berlin)
Your Registration is required to participate.
Together with experts, we will discuss:
What constitutes (historical) corporate responsibility today? Why is this still not a matter of course? What opportunities do companies have for societal and cultural engagement in remembrance? What are the best practices for a contemporary and effective approach to addressing a company's past? How do we bridge the gap between the historical examination of National Socialism and its societal impact and relevance today? What opportunities and risks does the examination of a company's own history present, and what comes after that?
Annette Schavan, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Finkelstein Foundation and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the EVZ Foundation, will open the event. This will be followed by a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Jens-Christian Wagner, Director of the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation.
The discussion will include:
• Markus Langer, Managing Director of the Evonik Foundation
• Franzi von Kempis, Communications consultant & Journalist
• Prof. Dr. Manfred Grieger, Historian
• Christoph Kübel, Foundation Initiative of German Business, Member of the Board of Trustees of the EVZ Foundation
Moderator: Dr. Andrea Despot, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the EVZ Foundation
In addition, Annemarie Hühne-Ramm, Managing Director of the Finkelstein Foundation, will provide an overview of the activities of the Finkelstein Foundation. Johanna Sokoließ, Specialist Advisor of the EVZ Foundation, will also present the blended learning format "Informed, Courageous, Engaged."
Following the panel discussion, there will be a reception with finger food and drinks.
The event is a collaboration between the Finkelstein Foundation and the EVZ Foundation (Remembrance, Responsibility, Future).
About the format EVZ Conversations!
EVZ Conversations! is a discussion format and event series organized by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility, and Future – both in digital and physical settings. It brings together individuals from politics, civil society, and business networks associated with the EVZ Foundation in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, and Israel. These gatherings include public discussions, background and expert talks, as well as creative and artistic formats. The focus is on topics that are socially relevant and closely linked to the mission and work of the EVZ Foundation. In 2022, the EVZ Foundation launched the discussion series, addressing issues such as the impact of the war in Ukraine on the culture of remembrance, the situation of human rights activists in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, and the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.
About the EVZ
The mission of the EVZ Foundation is to keep alive the memory of the injustice of National Socialist persecution and to advocate for human rights and international understanding. Given its founding history, the EVZ Foundation is particularly active in Central and Eastern Europe, Israel, and Germany. The establishment of the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility, and Future (EVZ) in 2000 marked a turning point in our culture of remembrance. The state, business – including Bayer AG – and society assumed political and moral responsibility for the suffering of forced laborers under the National Socialist regime.
