The Magazine of the Foundation (No. 5, 2008)

"Yes, we can!" With this motto, President-elect Barack Obama recently won an election of historical proportions. With this motto, he not only created excitement and inspiration in the USA, but world-wide as well.

Obama's victory shows the undeniable fascination which the USA exudes. However, the relationship between Germany and Europe and the USA goes well beyond fascination. On a political, cultural, military, and – as we've noticed during the current financial crisis – economical level, the transatlantic relationships are close and intense; the USA is the most important partner of the European Union.

Since 1984, the Robert Bosch Stiftung has been – with what Hans-Ulrich Klose describes in this issue as "democratic grassroots work and transatlantic public relations" – active in the USA. In this issue, we're using the American occasion to introduce the "Partner USA," the current state and the outlook of the transatlantic relationship, and what our foundation would like to contribute.

Obama's election victory reminds us of the strengths of a democratic society: the faith in change, the capability to modernize, the power of the community. "Change can happen!" we hear Barack Obama say. It could well be the motto of foundations everywhere. Even here, we believe in the possibility of positive changes in our society.

In this issue, we'd like to show you: Change needs role models, ideas, encounters – and sometimes only a good book. We're tracing the exclamation points that, with its projects, the foundation hopes to put on the educational system. We're showing the strength of the senior citizens in the demographical crisis region of eastern Germany. We're showing examples, which show that even here: "Change can happen!"

Cover story and selected articles from this issue: