About us

Founded in 2017, Friends of the Goethe-Institut UK is a registered charity (Registered Charity No. 1180177) supported by both corporate and individual members. Our mission is to promote German language, arts and culture in the UK through educational and cultural events and programmes. We aim to deepen public understanding and encourage international cultural exchange, especially between the UK and Germany.

As a charity,  we support and complement the work of the Goethe-Institut UK by encouraging wider access to inter-cultural learning and building connections across communities.

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What we do

We currently focus on creating meaningful connections between young people in the UK and Germany by supporting inter-cultural exchange programmes. With partial funding, we empower students from diverse backgrounds to connect, collaborate, and forge lasting relationships that foster mutual understanding — a mission that is more important than ever in a post-Brexit world. As an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, we also offer German as a skill through the Gimagine Award, making quality language learning more accessible to all.

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Become a friend.

Your support makes a meaningful impact on the cultural education of young people—opening doors to opportunities they might not otherwise have. As a member, you’ll be part of a vibrant, international network and receive exclusive invitations to our events. You’ll also stay informed about the progress and achievements of the young people you’re helping to support. Together, we’re shaping a more connected and culturally engaged future.

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Our members

Friends of the Goethe-Institut UK is proudly supported by three dedicated corporate members: Bayern LB, Siemens Energy, and Pan Macmillan. In addition to these institutional partners, a growing number of passionate individuals—many of whom first engaged through their companies—now contribute their unique skills and perspectives to help drive our mission forward. Together, they form a dynamic network committed to fostering opportunity, innovation, and impact.

Our Members

What our members say

“BayernLB has welcomed the opportunity of building upon the aims of the Goethe-Institut of supporting German Language abroad and promoting international cultural co-operation.

This has been possible together with the Goethe-Institut London and other corporate partners as founding members of the Friends, where we have been able to develop the strategy and witness the fruits of having already sent around 100 young people to Germany from right across the UK. These young people would not otherwise have had this unique opportunity to be building bridges between the UK and Germany (so far through the medium of football and active work experience).

Perhaps now more than ever, these initiatives are necessary to contribute towards a greater understanding of one another across our European borders. There is so much more we can do, together!”

Christoph Weaver, former GM, BayernLB London Branch

“Now more than ever, it is vital to nurture the links that bind the UK and Germany to each other: as a passionate, life-long European, I acknowledge as a 'remainer' that we have been lazy in our belief that the political benefits of European integration are self-evident to the British people. They are not.

However, at a deeper human level, nothing has changed: we both remain members of an unruly family, bonded by geography, history and culture. It is this deeper bond that we must amplify and strengthen, in the expectation that in time our political stars will in one way or another, come into alignment once again.

I hope that more German businesses will step forward to support the work of the Goethe-Institut at this time of dislocation.”

Anthony Forbes Watson, M.D. at Pan Macmillan

Social Media

Follow the Goethe-Institut UK on social media to receive information on language, culture, and Germany. In addition, there are channels for countries and institutes to zero in on the local work.

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