The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental organization from Germany working for adult civic education on an international scale. According to our mission, we are committed to promoting the values of liberalism: Individual freedom, democracy, rule of law, and market economy. Tolerance, the full respect to human rights, and a secular state, which respects the religious beliefs of every citizen, are crucial for our understanding of liberalism.

The FNF has been acting in Turkey with partners from civil society, academia, economy and politics since 1991, when we opened our office in Ankara. In 2002, we moved to Istanbul. 

Turkey is of crucial importance for Germany, Europe and the transatlantic cooperation due to her history, culture, economy, and geographical location. The country has traditional ties not only to Europe but to the Caucasus, the Middle East and the entire Mediterranean basis. In addition, there are very specific ties to Germany, which became home for millions of German citizens with an ethnic background in Turkey and Turkish citizens working in the country.

We offer liberals and liberal-minded citizens of Turkey our support to jointly promote liberal values in the Turkish society. By this, we strive to contribute to a liberal, democratic and prospering Turkey for all her citizens.

Our Objectives

Our activities in Turkey aim at promoting the vital elements of liberalism: 

• Freedom and Democracy: The separation of powers is a key prerequisite for a liberal democracy. It serves as a protective mechanism and prevents the misuse and the concentration of power in the hands of a few. 
• Human Rights and the Rule of Law: Human rights and the rule of law are important for all citizens; they enable a life in safety, equal opportunities and fair treatment regardless of race, ethnicity, religious belief, gender or social status.
• Market Economy and Competition: Free and open markets based on basic rules and with limited state intervention guarantee the creation of wealth and prosperity for each citizen. Competition is a bulwark against monopolies and secures fair trade.
• Secularism: For us, the secular state is a prerequisite to religious freedom for every citizen, protecting believers and non-believers alike. Only the secular state provides a warrant against infringements on religious freedom and against the predominance of one religious belief upon others. 

Apart from promoting liberal values,  FNF conducts and facilitates the exchange and transfer of knowledge between Germany and Turkey as well as between Turkey and her neighbours in the region. 

Our Target Groups 

With our activities, we try to address leaders, decision makers, and activists in 

• Politics
• Economy
• Media 
• Public Service 
• Academia
• Civil Society organizations

Our  main working tools are

• Workshops 
• Conferences 
• Seminars 
• Publications

In general, our activities aim at increasing the political commitment of the citizen in politics and in society.  Thus, all our events are conducted in a participant-oriented manner, as we strongly believe in the capacity of every individual to contribute to the well-being of her/his respective society.