Hamburger Stiftung für politisch Verfolgte

The Hamburg Foundation for the Politically Persecuted is a unique non-governmental organization in Germany, based in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. For over 40 years, it has welcomed individuals who are threatened or persecuted in their home countries due to their commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights. For one year, the foundation offers these guests a safe working and recovery space, facilitates contacts with German and international opinion leaders from politics, media, and civil society, and supports them in continuing their journalistic, artistic, or civil society projects. Furthermore, it collaborates with national and international human rights organizations, initiates petition campaigns for political prisoners, and is committed to combating xenophobia and intolerance.

Our mission is to provide politically persecuted individuals with a safe space where they can continue their work for democracy, freedom, and human rights without fear. We are committed to ensuring that our guests in Hamburg have access to networking, public relations, and training opportunities to make their concerns visible internationally. In doing so, we act on the basis of solidarity, respect for freedom of expression, and a firm belief in the transformative power of individual and collective voices for freedom.

The programs of the Hamburg Foundation for Politically Persecuted are aimed at individuals worldwide who have been persecuted, threatened, or imprisoned due to their public commitment to democracy, human rights, or freedom of expression. Origin, profession, or field of expertise do not matter: journalists, artists, scientists, and civil society activists receive a protective space in Hamburg for one year to recover, continue their work, and network with decision-makers and organizations.