ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) is Germany’s oldest intermediary organisation for international cultural relations. It promotes a peaceful and enriching coexistence between people and cultures worldwide. ifa supports artistic and cultural exchange in exhibition, dialogue and conference programmes, and it acts as a centre of excellence for international cultural relations. It is part of a global network and relies on sustainable, long-term partnerships.
It is supported by the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the state of Baden-Württemberg and its capital Stuttgart.
ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) promotes cultural exchange to assist peoples, nations and religions in learning from one another and living together peacefully. Cultures are changeable, movable and permeable, yet they are also conservative and restrictive. They can cause conflicts, but they can also transform and resolve conflicts.
Cultural exchange means commitment to peace. We are committed to achieving peace and justice, protecting human livelihoods and cultures and attaining a united Europe. Human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of information are objectives and cornerstones of our work.
Dialogue reveals cultural diversity as a valuable asset. Dialogue involves all people equally in shaping our future – in a process that is both open and meaningful. That is why we strive to bring people closer together.
ifa initiates intercultural dialogue. A broad array of exhibitions, meetings, dialogues and conferences promotes exchange in arts and culture. Our conflict resolution programme helps build and maintain peaceful societies. Support projects for cultural minorities foster cultural diversity.
ifa is Germany’s international cultural and educational relations body, providing a link between practical issues arising in the field and the world of scholarship as well as the media. We initiate, analyse, moderate and document debates on international cultural relations.
ifa gives people worldwide the opportunity to find out more about Germany. Exchange programmes, exhibitions, books and magazines, lectures and visitors’ programmes offer innovative perspectives from contemporary Germany.
ifa operates worldwide from a firm European base. We are active in cultural, educational, civil society, political and media networks, because we believe that cooperation is the only way to a better future.
ifa projects integrate the needs of target groups. These include young people and young professionals, media and cultural professionals as well as scholars and academics. We cooperate with political and cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations and policy makers.
ifa is a reliable partner. Our highly committed team is well-versed in all aspects of intercultural communication.
ifa is represented by President Ulrich Raulff and ifa’s director is Secretary General Ronald Grätz. As an advisory council, the Executive Committee sets the guidelines and priorities for ifa’s activities.The four advisory councils provide feedback and recommendations on topics such as German foreign cultural and educational policy, exhibition work, and the awarding of scholarships.
The Weimar Republic, National Socialism, the post-war era, and the fall of the Berlin Wall: founded in 1917 by Theodor Wanner in Stuttgart, ifa can look back on an eventful history.
The Friends’ Association was founded in 2006 with the aim of supporting ifa in its continual commitment as a cultural mediator and competence centre.
ifa Alumni are former funding recipients, representatives and experts involved in cultural exchange, dialogue and communication worldwide. They are artists, curators, active in cultural management and in research about culture and foreign policy, and they are committed to the freedom of the arts, expression and information. ifa is dedicated to network with currently more than a thousand alumni in order for them to jointly develop new initiatives and projects.
The Visitors‘ Programme of the Federal Republic of Germany offers participants the possibility to network and exchange views on current socio-political topics during a one-week stay.
The Martin Roth Symposium, named after one of the most notable museum directors, aims to honour his groundbraking achievements on behalf of the developement of cultural and social topics by perpetuating his ideas.
Since 2009, ifa has given the Theodor Wanner Award on persons who, by virtue of their scientific, scholarly, social, socio-political, artistic, entrepreneurial or financial engagement, have made outstanding contributions to the dialogue of cultures.
In the event series 'Totally Glocally. Stuttgart Talks', ifa addresses current questions about the interaction between global and local structures.
Since its implementation by ifa in 1995, the aim of the Lecture Programme of the German Federal Government has been to convey a current and multi-layered image of Germany abroad.
