# Salem International

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{{Short description|Germany-based international non-denominational Christian non-profit welfare organisation}}
{{about|an organization|the [college](/source/college)|Salem International University}}
'''SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH''' is a German [charitable company with limited liability](/source/Gesellschaft_mit_beschr%C3%A4nkter_Haftung) based in [Stadtsteinach](/source/Stadtsteinach).<ref>SALEM International gemeinnützige GmbH, Lindenhof Salem, DE-95346 [Stadtsteinach](/source/Stadtsteinach), Bavaria, Germany</ref><ref name="SalemInt-About"/> It describes itself as an  international [non-denominational Christian](/source/Nondenominational_Christianity) non-profit welfare organisation.<ref name="SalemInt-About"/> Its guiding principles include [human rights](/source/human_rights), vegetarian diet, and the promotion of a non-denominational [Christian](/source/Christian_Bible) 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](/source/Salem_(Bible)) ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew) שָׁלֵם, ''Shalem'', "peace"), the home of [Melchizedek](/source/Melchizedek) as given in [Genesis 14:18](/source/Book_of_Genesis), possibly to be identified with [Jerusalem](/source/Jerusalem).

== History ==
SALEM International was founded by "[Gottfried Müller](/source/Gottfried_M%C3%BCller_(philanthropist)) 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](/source/Stadtsteinach) and [Höchheim](/source/H%C3%B6chheim), 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](/source/Uganda), [Russia](/source/Russia), [Togo](/source/Togo), and [Ecuador](/source/Ecuador). Similar independent projects exist in the [United States](/source/United_States) and [Israel](/source/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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Salem International](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_International) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_International?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.