[Discussioni] [press a fsfeurope.org: [FSFE PR][EN] FSFE honoured with Theodor Heuss Medal - "trendsetting organisation"]

[Francesco Potortì]

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 <http://www.fsfe.org/news/2010/news-20100126-01.it.html>

== FSFE honoured with Theodor Heuss Medal - "trendsetting organisation" ==

[Permanent URL: http://www.fsfe.org/news/2010/news-20100126-01.en.html ]

26th January 2010, 09:00 am CET, Berlin, Germany

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) receives this year's Theodor
Heuss Medal for its extraordinary work for equitable participation in
the information society. Since 2001 FSFE has been committed to the
freedom to use, investigate, modify and redistribute software in all
parts of society and politics. Theodor Heuss Foundation states: "FSFE as
a forward thinking organisation contributes to the development and
establishment of rules for good global governance." 

"Free Software is an indispensable component of a free society in the
digital age. It ensures equal access to the information society for
everyone, " says Karsten Gerloff, President of FSFE, commenting on the
award.

"A small group of people who were ahead of their time founded Free
Software Foundation Europe in November 2000. They have worked for that
success tirelessly and with great personal commitment," Gerloff
emphasises. "Special credit is due to the initiator of FSFE, Georg Greve
and co-founder Bernhard Reiter. Georg Greve took on substantial personal
risk to get the organisation off the ground, and until 2009 presided
over its growth. For many years, Bernhard Reiter built up the German
team to become one of the strongest groups for Free Software in Europe."

"We founded the Free Software Foundation Europe to serve as an
independent organisation, fighting for the freedom of society in the
digital age. Our work is both about freedom from surveillance and
monitoring as well as about freedom for personal initiative in all its
forms," Georg Greve explains. "From the very beginning, the organisation
has taken a long-term view, distributing its work for sustainable change
across many shoulders."

"From the start, we designed the organisation to work independently of
any specific person," adds Bernhard Reiter. "We wanted FSFE to accompany
the changes in society for the coming decades.  Today FSFE is supported
and protected by many dedicated people."

Matthias Kirschner, Germany Coordinator of FSFE, comments: "The Medal
goes to all those who have been contributing to FSFE's success over the
years with their considerable initiative and personal commitment. But
there is still much more to do in a world where software is everywhere.
Our work is reaching more and more people, from the United Nations to
our towns and villages.  For this, we need broad support. Contributors
are always welcome!


== More Information ==

 - What is Free Software: http://fsfe.org/about/basics/freesoftware.en.html
 - FSFE's work: http://fsfe.org/projects/work.en.html
 - Donate: http://fsfe.org/donate/donate.en.html
 - Contribute: http://fsfe.org/contribute/contribute.en.html


== Contacts ==

  Free Software Foundation Europe
  E-Mail: press at fsfeurope.org

  Karsten Gerloff, President
  +49-176-96904298

  Matthias Kirschner, German coordinator
  +49-30-27595290

  http://www.fsfe.org/contact/


== About the Theodor Heuss Stiftung ==

  The Theodor Heuss Stiftung is above party lines and carries the name
  of Germany's first president (term in office 1949 - 59). After his
  death the foundation was founded by Hildegard Hamm-Brücher, his son
  Ernst Ludwig Heuss, and some friends, to remind of the political
  achievements of Theodor Heuss as an example for social commitment,
  moral courage and the dedication to foster democracy. The foundation
  seeks "to bring attention to something, which has to be done and
  shaped in our democracy, without being finished" (Carl Friedrich v.
  Weizsäcker, 1965). The Theodor Heuss price is given annually to
  persons of high standing and organisations, which are pathbreaking in
  this respect.