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You are here: Home / Culture and Media / Monika Griefahn receives the Federal Order of Merit

31. July 2018 | Blog-Team

Monika Griefahn receives the Federal Order of Merit

Olaf Lies freely admitted that he didn’t have the easiest of jobs. Monika Griefahn’s “successor-successor-successor”, as the current environment minister of the German federal state of Lower Saxony smirkingly described himself, said: “You can’t list all of Monika Griefahn’s merits – you can only mention the highlights.”

Lies was speaking during a ceremony to mark the awarding of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany to Monika Griefahn, an event that was attended by many of her longstanding companions. The honoree had never ceased to be an activist, beginning with her earliest days at Greenpeace, Lies said. In addition Griefahn was never one to tolerate things being labelled impossible. “Thinking for oneself can be fun, and she always wants to show that.”

GREENPEACE

Giefahn’s commitment to youth relations between Germany and France was important to her. In 2002 she received the order of the French Legion of Honor. During her time with Greenpeace she was not only an expert in provocations but also adept in the preparation of campaigns. Later she was the first female member of the International Board of the organisation. It was the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, (and later German Chancellor) Gerhard Schröder, who subsequently brought her to Hanover where she served as environment minister. One of her maxims that Olaf Lies remembers best is the idea that “the best garbage is that, which does not come into being in the first place”. “That was the first step towards the Cycle Waste Management Act (KrWG).”

MOVE INTO POLITICS

After eight years in Hannover, Griefahn spent the next ten years as a Member of Parliament in Berlin, where, to the surprise of many, she devoted herself to very different topics: culture and media. As the Director of Environment and Society at AIDA Cruises, her mission today is to make the cruise industry more environmentally friendly. Another important aspect of Griefahn’s work is the Alternative Nobel Prize. She has been a member of the committee that selects the laureates since 1986, and she has been chairing the Right Livelihood Award foundation for two years. “She approaches people in a spirit of openness”, Olaf Lies said in his speech.

AN INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS

Time and again during the celebration, companions of Monika Griefahn characterised her as somebody who is able to inspire others. They portrayed her as a superwoman who works consistently, no matter what she does. Professor Dr Maximilian Gege, Managing Director of B.A.U.M. e.V., is the one who nominated Monika Griefahn for the Federal Cross of Merit. “You need visions that you want to completely implement”, he said. “It takes a lot of time, as is exemplified by Germany’s nuclear exit, which Monika Griefahn has always supported. She has an incredible passion for topics and brings together expertise and commitment.”

Monika Griefahn receives the Federal Order of Merit for (with Rainer Rempe) Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

Monika Griefahn receives the Federal Order of Merit for (with Rainer Rempe). Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

On behalf of the Federal President the District Administrator of the county of Harburg, Rainer Rempe, had the task of presenting Monika Griefahn with the Cross of Merit on the Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, or the Federal Cross of Merit for short. He recalled that in 2001, the honoree together with a large group of supporters started the working group “Show your face against the Right” in his district, a campaign for tolerance and against xenophobia. She also took part in a similar project for students called “School with Courage”. “That was important then and remains so today”, Rempe said.

The administrator also referred to Griefahn’s other engagements in the district, including her work for the Friends of the Open Air Museum Kiekeberg, where the celebration took place. Griefahn also organised a fundraiser for the creation of a dormitory for the disabled in Wennerstorf. “Monika Griefahn shows great civic engagement in many areas. She lives up to her responsibilities and is a great example for many other people”, said District Administrator Rempe.

Filed Under: Culture and Media, Politics

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Insights

Appointments

April 26, 2022: Participation in the event “Rethinking Growth – Visions for Buchholz” as part of the Climate Advisory Board Buchholz in der Nordheide. More information (in German).

May 2, 2022: Buchholz Climate Advisary Council with presentation of the Climate Action Plan.

May, 5-6, 2022: Committee meeting and “Round Table” of the Foundation Lebendige Stadt.

May 10, 2022: Right Livlihood laureate and Russian environmental activist Vladimir Slivyak speaks to the “Alternative Nobel Prize” parliamentary group of the German Bundestag. Slivyak received the award for his commitment against nuclear power and fossil energies. More about him here.

May 12, 2022: Participation in the Congress Cradle to Cradle  –Shaping municipalities of the future.

June 22, 2022: The Central Real Estate Committee (ZIA) organizes the Real Estate Industry Day in Berlin; participation in the panel “Climate Protection” with the topic Cradle to Cradle. More information (some in English).

September 22, 2022: Lecture on “The Cradle to Cradle principle – necessary for climate protection” at the Lions Club Hamburg-Hoheneichen.

October 20, 2022: Introductory statement at “eKKon 2022” – the Austrian congress on eFuels in Vienna. It is about the growing importance of eFuels in the climate debate.


Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021

Logo C2C-Congress

Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021: Because of the Corona pandemic the C2C Conress took place in three parts this year: The first one was on June 14, 2021 in Freiburg. The second took place on September 7, 2021 in Mainz, the third November 4, 2021 in Mönchengladbach.


eFuels

Synthetic fuels are one of the decisive factors for the energy transition away from fossile fuels. That is why I am committed to the further development and practical use of eFuels and became a member of the Sounding Board of the eFuel Alliance in May 2021.
English website of the eFuel Alliance


Climate committee

Constituent session: Photo: City of Buchholz / Helms

In May 2021, the climate committee was constituted in the climate forum at my place of residence in Buchholz in the Nordheide. I am pleased to be chairwoman of the advisory board! The city has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral and there is still a lot to do to achieve this. The committee advises the municipal  administration on fundamental questions of climate policy.
To the article on the Buchholz website (in German)


Right Livelihood Laureate 2021

Right Livelihood Award

They stand up against violence and climate change and address the most pressing questions of our time: Marthe Wandou (Cameroon), Wladimir Sliwjak (Russia), Freda Huson (People of the Wet’suwet’en, Canada) and the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (India) are the winners of the Right Livelohood Award (“Alternative Nobel Prize”) 2021. Please find here the award ceremony documentation or read more about the laureates in our blog.


Federal Order of Merit

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

Our CEO Dr. Monika Griefahn received the Federal Order of Merit. Please read more about her biography and about the award ceremony in our blog.


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