Kontaktstelle für Umwelt & Entwicklung (KATE) e.V.

About us

KATE is an organisation working in the field of development co-operation and ecological sustainability founded in 1988. Our vision of viable development is an all-embracing concept that unites ecology, justice, economic development and democracy, leading to a social and just society in the north and south. We see developmental- and eco-political education as the basis of this vision to be realized.
We are an interdisciplinary working team with experience in development cooperation, environmental protection and corresponding education. We critically confront conventional development strategies and link environmental- and developmental themes.
We develop concepts for sustainable living- and working forms, for innovative approaches in development policy, for a north-south dialogue on an equal footing and for promoting ecology in the world of employment. Our concept development is essentially marked by the exchange and dialogue with our partners in the south.
KATE is independent of both state and party politics and is recognised as a non-profit organisation.

Our work in specific:
• We promote and attend north-south school partnerships between Berlin and Central America
• We coordinate the annual development-policy education programme in Berlin – Berliner Entwicklungspolitisches Bildungsprogramm (benbi)
• We support projects of development cooperation focused on environmental education, rural development and human rights in Cuba and El Salvador
• We carry out north-south/south-north exchange programmes
• We support the education of local specialists to implement environmental-management systems in Central America
• We are working both in development- and eco-political education and public-relations
• We support the formation of north-south networks