“Crossing distances” was motto and objective of the Office for Foreign Relations also in the reporting year 2011. But notwithstanding all engagement in fostering the Hanns Seidel Foundation’s network of political partners on all continents, this time “the good was close at hand”. This time period’s list of visitors included a remarkably large number of representatives of political parties or party-affiliated institutes from the close neighbourhood, such as from our Christian-democratic political partners in Austria (ÖVP), Switzerland (CVP), South Tyrol (SVP), Liechtenstein (VU) and Luxembourg (CSV).

When relations were cultivated beyond the German-speaking region, the direct vicinity (i.e. other countries in Europe) was of high priority. Once again, the two major international Christian-democratic resp. conservative party-families, the European People’s Party (EPP) and the International Democrat Union (IDU) were valuable contacts for fostering our global network. With the November meeting of Party Leaders of the IDU member parties in London, and the EPP Congress organised in Marseille in December, the second half of 2011 provided two highlights for an in-depth exchange of ideas. Besides, these multilateral meetings of the international party-family provided the ideal venue also for intensifying bilateral relationships in numerous European countries, especially in those places where the Hanns Seidel Foundation is not operating a liaison or a project office.

Another key focus of the work performed by the Office for Foreign Relations, which defines itself as an interface between the Foundation’s management and the different departments, was the assessment of foreign political parties and party-affiliated organizations. The objective was to evaluate contact inquiries and to identify new reliable partners around the world who share our values and ideology. A particular focus was on countries in the Southern Caucasus region.

The Office for Foreign Relations also coordinated the Hanns Seidel Foundation’s cooperation with the Centre for European Studies (CES) in Brussels, the EPP’s network of foundations, which is gaining recognition as a forum for political science discussions. At six notable joint activities in Munich and Brussels on current challenges Europe is facing (such as Europe’s changing political landscape, dangers posed by extremists and terrorists or the future of European Neighbourhood Policy), the Foundation’s relevant departments have actively contributed to this cooperation.