2022 marks the end of an eventful year in which the Giordano Bruno Foundation (gbs) achieved remarkable successes, but also suffered painful losses. For example, the gbs celebrated the abolition of § 219a StGB with physician Kristina Hänel, but also had to bid farewell to its founder Herbert Steffen, who died at the age of 88.

Putin's attack on Ukraine is also an attack on the open society. The Russian ruler, however, is by no means alone in his religious-nationalist propaganda. Identitarian thought patterns are on the rise worldwide – as Michael Schmidt-Salomon explains in an article for the "bruno." annual magazine, which will be published at the beginning of October.

Last weekend, leading representatives of the ex-Muslim movement met in Cologne to "celebrated dissent". They were supported by Western critics of religion such as Richard Dawkins, Dan Barker, and Michael Schmidt-Salomon.

"The power of myth" is this year's theme of the DA! Art-Award, which will in 2022 be awarded for the third time. The prize, totalling 10,000 euros, is offered every two years by the Düsseldorfer Aufklärungsdienst (DA!) and aims to inspire artists to take a critical look at religion and irrationalism. As in previous years, the award is supported by the Giordano Bruno Foundation.