Mission Statement of the Foundation International Meeting Center St. Marienthal

Identity and mission – who we are
The International Meeting Center St. Marienthal (IBZ) was established in 1992 by the Cistercian Abbey Klosterstift St. Marienthal. Our mission is to promote the education and meeting of people, mainly from Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, the preservation of the cultural heritage of the homeland and the promotion of responsibility for creation.
We see ourselves as an innovation center in a structurally weak but significant border region. We provide impulses not only for our guests, but also for politics, churches, associations and societies to shape a sustainable and just social order.

Values – how we work
We work on the basis of the Christian faith.
Quality development and assurance are a long-term commitment for us.
In addition, there are the following specific foundations for our work:
– the position paper of the network “Environmental Education Saxony”,
-the convention of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Katholisch-sozialer Bildungswerke Deutschlands (AKSB) and
– the principles for successful education for sustainable development.

Guests and clients – who we work for
Our offers are aimed at all interested parties, regardless of political, ideological, religious or cultural affiliation. We offer events and recreational opportunities for young people, families, adults and the elderly. We also provide services for the public sector, foundations, local authorities, churches, associations, clubs and administrations, etc.

General goals – what we want
In our work, we focus on people in all situations and ages (children, young people, adults, seniors, families). We also take a comprehensive, holistic approach in our choice of topics. We plan and organize events on social, economic, ecological, religious, political and cultural topics.
We offer recreation-seekers accommodation and meals in five guesthouses of simple elegance (a total of 150 overnight accommodations).

Services – what we offer
We plan and organize high-quality courses, seminars, conferences, congresses and panel discussions. As an educational and meeting center, we bring our personal and professional competencies, diverse spatial capacities, professional service and pleasant hospitality to the organization of our (international) events. Community-oriented networking and project work play a central role in our work. Contract measures and services for third parties round off our profile.
We design learning processes in such a way that our participants have the curiosity to think further, to recognize connections and thus acquire important action-oriented knowledge and competencies.
Our educational events take place in a pleasant learning atmosphere on the grounds of St. Marienthal Monastery. Participants learn in our events in an interdisciplinary, independent and action-oriented way.
It is important for us to develop and implement target group specific offers for each age group in the process of lifelong learning. These are didactically planned in advance and take into account different methods and media. Honest feedback from our participants is important to us.

Working style – How we treat each other
We behave loyally to each other and to the IBZ. We solve the problems that arise together. In doing so, we create space for individual responsibility.

St. Marienthal, Dezember 2021