The Giordano Bruno Stiftung (gbs) is a think tank for humanism and enlightenment that has been joined by many renowned scientists, philosophers and artists. The foundation is currently backed by more than 10,000 supporting members and 50 regional and university groups.

The foundation's goal is to develop a viable humanistic, rational and evidence-based alternative to the traditional religions and to help it become established in society. This objective is based on the insight that we cannot face the complex challenges of the 21st century using the religious paradigms of the past. (Read more)

Instead, we need a contemporary view of the world that is in harmony with the results of scientific research and which is ethically and politically consistently oriented towards the individual's right to self-determination (as expressed in the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights") as well as towards the principles of an "open society".

The Giordano Bruno Stiftung adheres to the guiding principle of evolutionary humanism. A clear and concise summary of the central positions of the gbs can be found in the brochure "Enlightenment in the 21st Century" and in the "Manifesto of Evolutionary Humanism", which was written in 2005 by Michael Schmidt-Salomon on behalf of the foundation.

The history of the Giordano Bruno Foundation is summarized in the Chronology of the Main Events. See also the documentary "In Humanity We Trust - The story of evolutionary humanism", produced by Ricarda Hinz for the 10th anniversary of the gbs.

"Anyone capable of splitting the atom and communicating via satellites, must possess intellectual and emotional maturity. One of the ways this manifests itself is through the ability to let false ideas die, before people have to die for false ideas.«
(Manifesto of Evolutionary Humanism)

Members of the foundation

Directorate: Herbert Steffen, Dr. Dr. Michael Schmidt-Salomon

Board of Trustees: Dr. Thorsten Barnickel, Ricarda Hinz, Dr. Jacqueline Neumann, Dr. Rainer Rosenzweig, Assunta Tammelleo

Business Management: Elke Held (M.Sc.), Ingrid Steffen-Binot (finances), Judith Liesenfeld (secretariat)

Advisory Board: Hamed Abdel-Samad, expert on Islam and the Middle East; Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans Albert, philosopher of science; Andreas Altmann, writer; Prof. Dr. Christoph Antweiler, ethnologist; Dr. Tanja Gabriele Baudson, psychologist / giftedness researcher; Prof. Dr. Dr. Dieter Birnbacher, philosopher; Dr. Philipp Blom, historian / author; Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, process engineer / chemist, Prof. Dr. Martin Brüne, neurologist / psychiatrist; Dr. Gerhard Czermak, jurist / author; Helmut Debelius, marine researcher / author; Karen Duve, writer; Prof. Dr. Theodor Ebert, philosopher / historian of philosophy; Dr. Carsten Frerk, political scientist / author; Dr. Colin Goldner, psychologist / non-fiction author; Prof. Dr. Dittmar Graf, evolutionary biologist / biology didactician; Dr. Natalie Grams, physician / author; Dr. Monika Griefahn, politician / sociologist; Gerhard Haderer, caricaturist / illustrator / author; Prof. Dr. Rolf Herzberg, jurist; Prof. Dr. Dr. Eric Hilgendorf, jurist / philosopher of law; Ricarda Hinz, documentary filmmaker; Janosch, author / illustrator; Dr. Mathias Jung, Gestalt therapist / philosopher; Wolfram Kastner, performance artist; Prof. Dr. Günter Kehrer, sociologist of religion; Ralf König, cartoonist / author;  Dr. Heinz-Werner Kubitza, religious scholar / author; Dr. Martin Mahner, biologist / philosopher of science; Robert Maier, mathematician / political consultant; Prof. Dr. Horst Marschall, geoscientist; Ingrid Matthäus-Maier, politician / jurist; Prof. Dr. Reinhard Merkel, jurist / philosopher of law; Prof. Dr. Thomas Metzinger, cognitive scientist /philosopher; Prof. Dr. Axel Meyer, evolutionary biologist / zoologist; Ludwig A. Minelli, lawyer / journalist / founder of Dignitas; Philipp Möller, pedagogue / author; Dr. Jürgen Neffe, author / biochemist; Dr. Gisela Notz, social scientist; Prof. Dr. Rolf Oerter, developmental psychologist; Helmut Ortner, journalist / media developer / publicist; Martin Perscheid, cartoonist / writer; Udo Pollmer, food chemist / science journalist; Prof. Dr. Holm Putzke, jurist;  Gerhard Rampp, ethics teacher / 1. chair of Augsburg; Prof. Helke Sander, film director / author; Prof. Dr. Hermann Josef Schmidt, philosopher; Rolf Schwanitz, jurist / engineer economist / former Minister of State / former parliamentary secretary of state; Prof. Dr. Volker Sommer, anthropologist / primatologist; Prof. Dr. Beda M. Stadler, immunologist; Wolf Steinberger, entrepeneur; Prof. Dr. Gerhard Streminger, philosopher; Jacques Tilly, sculptor; Rüdiger Vaas, science journalist; Esther Vilar, author; Prof. Dr. Eckart Voland, sociobiologist / biophilosopher; Prof. Dr. Dr. Gerhard Vollmer, physicist / philosopher; Dr. Bernd Vowinkel, physicist;  Lilly Walden, actress; Prof. Dr. Barbro Walker, educationalist; Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Walter, physicist / astronaut; Helmut Walther, editor / chair of the Gesellschaft für kritische Philosophie; Prof. Dr. Isabell Welpe, economist; Prof. Dr. Ulla Wessels, philosopher; Prof. Dr. Franz Josef Wetz, philosopher

Deceased advisory board members: Dr. Uwe-Christian Arnold, urologist / assistant of the dying; Dr. Pierre Basieux, mathematician / game theorist; Prof. Dr. Franz Buggle, psychologist / author; Dr. Fiona Lorenz pedagogue / author; Prof. Dr. Bernulf Kanitscheider, philosopher; Max Kruse, writer; Prof. Dr. Ludger Lütkehaus, literary scholar / author; Prof. Dr. Heinz Oberhummer, nuclear and astrophysicist / cabaret artist; Volker Panzer, journalist / TV host; Prof. Dr. Peter Riedesser, child and youth psychiatrist; Prof. Gerhard Wimberger, composer / conductor; Prof. Dr. Franz M. Wuketits, evolution theorist

The circle of patrons of the gbs currently includes more than 30 people, the circle of supporters over 10,000 people from more than 40 countries. The foundation's environment also includes the approximately 50 regional and university groups of the gbs, which organize more than 100 events each year.