06/25/2026

Information, Dialogue & Project Highlights: The IKI at the German Government's Open Day

Man wearing a black T-shirt and name badge stands in front of a trade show booth with a large colorful wheel and informational posters on the wall — At the BMUKN, there was an informative poster and a wheel of fortune at the IKI stand

Last weekend, the Federal Government opened its doors to the public. Visitors were able to find out about a variety of activities, including those of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

During the Federal Government’s Open Day in Berlin, visitors had the opportunity to tour the federal ministries. The IKI is based within the Federal Government at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). However, the Federal Foreign Office also commissions and implements individual projects in consultation with the BMUKN.

Over the weekend, the IKI was represented at the BMUKN and the Federal Foreign Office. Staff from the IKI Office, which is responsible for technical support, programme management and project evaluations, as well as staff from IKI divisions within the ministries, provided information about the funding programme and answered questions at the stand.

The IKI at the Ministry for the Environment

Trade show booth with two people in front of a prize wheel and a banner with logos in the background — Visitors struck up conversations with staff at the IKI stand

The Open Day at the BMUKN was dedicated to the '40th anniversary of the Federal Ministry for the Environment'. In 2008, the Ministry launched the IKI, a new funding programme for projects in developing and emerging countries. At the information stand, visitors could find out more about IKI projects and learn about them. The IKI wheel of fortune allowed visitors of all ages to answer questions on the four funding areas – mitigation, adaptation, carbon sinks and biodiversity – and win prizes.

Questions from interested visitors ranged from general enquiries about the IKI's activities and areas of operation to very specific questions, such as: ‘What do you do in Colombia? Do you work with Indigenous Peoples or medicinal plants?’

The Federal Environment Minister at the IKI photo exhibition

Several people stand in a hallway talking, one person holding a smartphone. — Carsten Schneider, Federal Minister for the Environment, at the IKI photo exhibition

A photography exhibition provided additional insight into the IKI projects. Twelve large-scale images from the latest IKI photo contest were displayed, illustrating the projects' regional and thematic diversity. Visitors were captivated by the beautiful images, and Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider also stopped by to take a look. He asked about the projects depicted in the photographs.

Constanze Haug, the managing director of Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH, the federally-owned company that serves as project management agency of the IKI, also visited the photo exhibition and the IKI stand.

The IKI at the Federal Foreign Office

Facade of a building with a large poster advertising the open house day at the Foreign Office on June 20 and 21, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — The IKI was also represented at the Federal Foreign Office

At the Federal Foreign Office, the IKI was represented at the ‘Foreign Climate Policy / Climate & Security’ stand in the Hans-Dietrich-Genscher Forum. Visitors had the opportunity to speak to staff from the relevant division at the Foreign Office and the IKI office, and find out more about our activities.

Despite the heat and thunderstorms, we are happy that so many visitors came to find out more about our work. Thank you very much! You can find more photos in the gallery.