About the Foundation

Our mission

The Stiftung Drittes Millennium (Foundation for the Third Millennium) promotes sustainability in all sectors of society. More specifically, it promotes action that places equal emphasis on responsible behavior in relationship to environmental, economic and social activities. Such behavior has as its source the awareness that all of us live on one planet and that this planet’s resources are finite. We are challenged to use fewer non-renewable resources, to develop renewable ones, to use both kinds more efficiently and to make them available to everyone.

Our society must examine our economic system, our relationship to the natural world, and our ideas about religion more critically. We must learn to resolve our conflicts without resorting to violence.

Our foundation works to help as many people as possible achieve the awareness and the freedom they need in order to discover the values that will enable them to live in a just and peaceful world.

The foundation’s board is convinced that the process of dialogue and reflection is an effective way of working towards this goal. Our activities emphasize consciousness-building, education, and practical training. The knowledge and experience we gain will be used in concrete projects and programs.

Sustainability for our own and future generations requires that we achieve:

  • social justice
  • an economic system that meets genuine needs
  • an intact, life-supporting environment

These three elements must be maintained concurrently and throughout future generations.

Our approach

Holistic

Our foundation is committed to sustainability. We support projects which promote environmental protection and health, social justice and economic independence in balanced proportions.

Co-operative

In order to assure reliable project oversight and adequate support, we must be able to maintain a constructive relationship with the project managers and their organization. Thus we give preference to organizations based in Switzerland and in neighboring European countries.

Widely-based

Financial support for projects must be widely-based and secured for the project’s duration. At least half the project’s budget must be contributed by third parties.