Friends of Nature International

Description

Friends of Nature is a non-profit organisation that works to make the enjoyment of nature accessible to everyone through recreational and travel facilities.

Its statutes list environmental, nature and climate protection, strengthening environmental and social standards, and securing human rights among its purposes, alongside integration of people of different backgrounds. It promotes climate justice and public awareness of ecological resources, especially in countries of the global South, and encourages sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible travel and leisure. It informs the public on environment, climate and human rights issues through seminars, conferences and media work, and represents the movement’s social, environmental and development interests at European and international level. It also supports projects run by its member organisations and publishes materials in print and online.

The movement was founded in Vienna in 1895 and encourages sustainable tourism and international friendship. It was banned by the Nazis in 1933 and revived after the Second World War. Friends of Nature is the umbrella organisation for national federations worldwide, with member organisations that run travel programmes and a large network of Nature Friends Houses, mainly in Europe. It is based in Vienna, Austria.