Democratic societies can function only on the basis of tolerance. Establishing tolerance as the lynchpin of democracy has therefore become our common cause. The challenges we are facing at the start of the 21st century will change our future forever. Not only political and economic systems will be defined anew, but our immediate environment will undergo fundamental changes, too. Without any doubt, tolerance will become one of the key conditions to ensure a peaceful future.

Deutsche Bank's social and cultural activities are concentrating on the bank's Topic of the Year 2002, while the Alfred Herrhausen Society has organized a variety of international events around this topic, engaging prominent businessmen, scientists and politicians in an ongoing debate on the issues related to it.