{{Short description|Germany-based international non-denominational Christian non-profit welfare organisation}} {{about|an organization|the college|Salem International University}} '''SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH''' is a German charitable company with limited liability based in Stadtsteinach.<ref>SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH, Lindenhof Salem, DE-95346 Stadtsteinach, Bavaria, Germany</ref><ref name="SalemInt-About"/> It describes itself as an international non-denominational Christian non-profit welfare organisation.<ref name="SalemInt-About"/> Its guiding principles include human rights, vegetarian diet, and the promotion of a non-denominational Christian way of life. Its slogan is "Christian, nonprofit, charitable".<ref name="SalemInt-About">{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.saleminternational.org/index.php?seite=about-us|website=saleminternational.org|publisher=SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH|accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref>
== Name == The institution's name "SALEM" refers to Salem (Hebrew שָׁלֵם, ''Shalem'', "peace"), the home of Melchizedek as given in Genesis 14:18, possibly to be identified with Jerusalem.
== History == SALEM International was founded by "Gottfried Müller and a circle of friends" in 1957 in Germany.<ref name="SalemInt-About"/>
In Germany, SALEM established institutions for homeless people, children from disadvantaged family backgrounds, and ex-convicts in Stadtsteinach and Höchheim, Bavaria, and Kovahl, Lower Saxony.
In 1980, 200 children were living in the long-established villages in Germany. But Müller has said that "Salem is only the model"; he and other organizers have not been interested in increasing the number of the villages belonging to the organization, instead seeing them as models.<ref>{{cite journal |journal= New Age |author= Michael Harris |title=The Salem Children's Village: A New Concept in Foster Care |date=April 1980 |page=42 ''ff''}}</ref>
Further Salem institutions were built in Uganda, Russia, Togo, and Ecuador. Similar independent projects exist in the United States and Israel.<ref name="SALEM_worldwide">"After SALEM established itself in Germany, Gottfried Müller decided to bring his ideas also to other countries." {{cite web|title=SALEM worldwide|url=http://www.saleminternational.org/index.php?seite=salem-worldwide|website=saleminternational.org|publisher=SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH|accessdate=28 August 2016}}</ref>
==See also== *Maryland Salem Children's Trust
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.saleminternational.org/}}
Category:Christian charities Category:Humanitarian aid organizations Category:Organizations established in 1957 Category:Charities based in Germany Category:Non-profit organisations based in Bavaria