The UN Funken after the Rose Monday Parade 2025
The UN Funken after the Rose Monday Parade 2025 | Photo: Lutz Böning

UN Funken Carnival Association

The UN Funken Carnival Association (Karnevalsgesellschaft UN Funken e.V.) was founded on 13th January 2017 and was established with the purpose of contributing to the maintenance and further development of the carnival custom and its cultural heritage in Bonn through participation in carnival for UN employees, their families as well as employees, organisations, institutions and individuals, closely connected with the UN and sustainable development. We are a proud member of the Festausschuss Bonner Karneval.

UNiversa Skirmate (2025-2026)

UNiversa Skirmante on a swing
UNiversa Skirmante © Larissa Neubauer

UNiversa Skirmante (Tamelyte) is originally from Lithuania and has been living Germany for more than 20 years. She has lived in six countries, speaks four languages and now works in Bonn for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
In previous sessions, Skirmante was an active member of the respective royalty’s team and has been an enthusiastic carnivalist ever since. With her as UNiversa, the UN Funken are bringing Lithuanian flair to the Bonn carnival this time around.

In the current session, the international carnival enthusiasts are focusing their carnival communications on Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Universa Skirmante is looking forward to celebrating carnival under the motto of the Bonn Carnival Festival Committee, ‘200 years of Bonn Carnival – yesterday, today and tomorrow’. She is convinced: ‘In today’s globalized world, it is not easy to keep old local traditions alive. We must preserve Carnival as a valuable tradition and take care of it today so that it can continue to exist in the future. In this session, I would like to spread the message that just as we actively preserve the Carnival tradition, we must be just as active today in protecting freedom and peace, because these values are essential for future free societies.‘

Please read our press text and see our About us and Our story pages to learn more about the UN Funken and its figureheads.

#UNFunken4SDGs

The presentation of Offsetting Certificate for the Climate Neutral Rosenmontag parade to Festausschuss Bonner Karneval and the City of Bonn in 2026 at Bonn Expat Carnival
The presentation of Offsetting Certificate for the Climate Neutral Rosenmontag parade to Festausschuss Bonner Karneval and the City of Bonn in 2026 at Bonn Expat Carnival © Larissa Neubauer

Sustainability lies at the heart of the UN Funken. Each year, the UN Funken select a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to champion. Together with our members, supporters, and the Festausschuss Bonner Karneval, we contribute donations to offset the unavoidable emissions of the Rosenmontag parade, helping to reduce its climate impact. Visit our Sustainability page to learn more about the actions the UN Funken are taking to reduce our carnival footprint, and follow us on social media to see how we are making our journey more sustainable.