More than 240 applications had been submitted, from which a jury – including actor and documentary filmmaker Hannes Jaenicke (Environmental category), former professional footballer and foundation founder Neven Subotić (Social category), "Netzwerk-Chancen" founder Natalya Nepomnyashcha (Education category), as well as a youth jury – selected 19 organisations. ElasmOcean had made it onto this longlist, which is why we travelled to the grand Städel Museum in Frankfurt/Main on 28 October.
The nine shortlist winners with the jury
And we were honoured as one of three projects in the Environmental category with the "Wir für morgen" Prize 2024 by Union Investment, for our educational work on marine conservation.
The award ceremony, held in a dignified setting, was opened by Hans Joachim Reinke, Chief Executive Officer of Union Investment and patron of the initiative: "In a world of upheavals, social commitment is more important than ever. Your contribution to creating a better tomorrow cannot be appreciated highly enough." The investment fund company of the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken has been awarding the prizes since 2022 to non-profit associations committed to social justice, greater equality of opportunity, and improved environmental awareness.
Hannes Jaenicke, as a jury member for the Environmental category, pointed out that this topic "is currently rather out of fashion because other issues are being prioritised. Yet, those other issues are merely consequential problems of environmental issues. Environmental protection is a human rights issue!"
Patron Hans Joachim Reinke, Friederike Kremer-Obrock, and jury member Hannes Jaenicke
We are quite proud of this honour and express our gratitude. We will invest the funding contribution of 20,000 euros into our school programme, specifically our school boxes and the equipment for our speakers for their deployments in nurseries and schools.
Hans Joachim Reinke dismissed the approximately 100 attendees with a word of thanks to everyone involved: "You give society the most important thing: your time!"
Presenter Sabrina Marggraf, Friederike Kremer-Obrock (ElasmOcean), Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA) e.V. as the Environmental flagship prize winner, jury member Hannes Jaenicke
We intend to continue this voluntary work in the future. Our congratulations to all other winners – and, for once, a pat on the back for ourselves today before we return to our daily work: More protection through knowledge!
