Compared to 2022, when around 170 students applied for the Suttner Scholarship, the number of applications this year has increased by a good third. “This confirms how sought-after a decidedly humanist scholarship is,” says the board of the Bertha von Suttner-Studienwerk, which includes members of the Humanist Association of Germany (HVD), the Giordano Bruno Foundation (gbs), the Humanist Academy Germany (HAD) and the Federal Association of Humanist Students (BAG). “As in previous years, we were very impressed by the quality of the applications. It was not easy for us to decide between the more than 40 top candidates with whom we and our advisory boards have held interviews in recent weeks. In fact, significantly more applicants would have deserved a scholarship, but unfortunately this is not possible with the limited resources of the Humanist Studienwerk, which, unlike the religious funding organizations, does not yet receive any state funding.”
The 16 new Suttner scholarship holders cover a wide range of academic disciplines. Some scholarship holders are just starting their studies, others are already working on their doctorates. “It’s a wonderfully diverse group!” says the BvS Board of Directors. “The scholarship holders’ interests are wide-ranging, but they are all characterized by a particular academic interest and active humanistic commitment. We are very much looking forward to working with these outstanding young talents!”
Farewell to the first generation of scholarship holders
Since October, the Bertha von Suttner-Studienwerk has supported a total of 31 scholarship holders, 15 from the second and 16 from the third generation. However, it was with some sadness that the BvS Board had to say goodbye to the first generation of Suttner scholarship holders, who are now leaving the funding program after two years of support: “It was fascinating to follow the development of these young people. We had many exciting discussions and intensive encounters that we will miss.” This positive assessment is obviously mutual. At the 2023 summer meeting, the ten first-generation scholarship holders stated that they would like to keep in touch with the Studienwerk as alumni.
The first meeting of the second and third generation of scholarship holders will take place in two months from November 17 to 19 at the “Haus des Humanismus”, an institution of the HVD Berlin-Brandenburg KdöR. In May 2024, there will be another meeting at the gbs headquarters above the Rhine. Between the two annual meetings in Berlin and Oberwesel, the Studienwerk offers events and discussions and enables its scholarship holders to take part in interesting conferences. The next opportunities for this are the symposium “Force of Nature and Spiritual Power: Becoming Human in Evolution” (6-8 October 2023, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg) and the conference “Weapons Down or Weapons Up?- Pacifism yesterday and today”, which will take place in Berlin on October 13, 2023 to mark the 180th birthday of the BvS patron saint Bertha von Suttner.
The Bertha von Suttner-Studienwerk (BvS) specifically supports humanist students who should receive the same support as their religious fellow students in an ideologically neutral state. The next call for applications for the “Suttner Scholarship” begins on May 1, 2024. Further information on the humanist scholarship, which is supported by many public figures, can be found on the BvS website.
