The objective of the Farmont Foundation is to fortify the bonds and strengthen the unity of Europe’s youth.

Supporting young people who advocate for a tolerant and open-minded Europe is incredibly important to us. We strive to provide them with diverse opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together. As a German foundation, countering the erosion of confidence in the European idea is not merely in our self-interest; we view it as part of our historical responsibility.

For a Europe characterised by cooperation.

In an era when a lack of confidence in Europe threatens its future, the foundation aims to further strengthen awareness of European values such as the rule of law, the welfare state, democracy, and civil liberties. The foundation aims to oppose nationalist movements and right-wing extremist ideologies while advocating for a Europe defined by cooperation, unity, and clearly defined values.

Fostering new ideas to tackle present and future challenges.

Unity can only be achieved if we bring the people of Europe together and understand them as one community — or, in other words, as one crew aboard the same ship. For this reason, we facilitate essential exchange among young people in Europe through our summer school aboard the foundation’s yacht. During these sessions, we navigate the delicate equilibrium between the common good of society and individual freedom, as well as the interplay between compromise and innovative vision. We strongly believe that only through promoting diversity within society can we successfully generate new ideas to overcome present and future challenges.

The Farmont Foundation was established in 2008 by the German entrepreneur Hans Farmont, whose vision was deeply shaped by his experiences during the Second World War. Committed to the integration and continuous development of Europe, he strongly believed in the European idea and saw in it an inexhaustible potential for peace, cooperation, and unity — an idea he wished to see strengthened beyond his lifetime. Following his passing, the foundation was led by his wife, Marlene Farmont, who assumed management responsibilities and continued to advance his vision until her death in 2025. Today, the foundation is governed by an independent board and is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The organisation’s yacht is moored in Turkey, where it was originally built.