The UN Funken have been awarded the Bonner Klima-Preis from the Federal City of Bonn and the Stadtwerke Bonn. We received the recognition award for our commitment to climate protection and sustainability.

https://www.bonn.de/klima-preis

This is the laudation given to us by David Baier:

Dear Mayor Dörner, dear guests, thank you for your opening words.

If the jury decides to give an East Hessian like me the responsibility to hold a laudatory speech in the context of the Rhineland Carnival, that’s courageous, I almost want to say daring, but that’s what you wanted. Ok – here we go – clown nose on for maximum disguise.

Today, with this green clown nose, I have the honourable task of talking about a carnival club that is unique not only in the Rhineland, but in all of Germany, in the context of the Bonn Climate Prize.

From a sober point of view, the jury’s preliminary examination has confirmed that an application with the consecutive number 19 in the tabular overview was formally received correctly on November 27, 2024.

Behind this sober number 19, however, there is a highly exciting, content-rich and humorously diverse organization. The UN Funken from Bonn.

Those of you who know the Bonn Rose Monday Parade, probably all of you here in the Old Town Hall, will also know the UN Funken.

Founded in 2017 as a carnival association for UN staff and their families, the UN Funken are already a highlight with their UNiverso on 7 electric cargo bikes. Their unique selling point is that they always focus on one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the context of the Climate Award, the jury particularly appreciated this originality.

But that’s not all: according to the motto “everything different – everything the same”, 25% of the material is invested in fair trade camels. As an important symbol of our Rhineland carnival, the medal is also a must. And, of course, it is lovingly made from sustainable, renewable wood. The UN Funken have a wonderful understanding of how to not only “stick” to sustainable ideas, but how to effectively implement them, as the jury could see in its detailed examination of the application. In the context of Carnival, for example, it is particularly noteworthy that the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Rose Monday Parade have been offset by supporting climate projects in the Global South since 2020.

The jury and hopefully all of us sitting here in Bonn’s historic town hall sincerely hope that you, the UN Funken Bonn, will continue this tradition and your lively commitment to understanding, humour and climate protection in our great city of Bonn for a long time to come.

You – the UN Funken – deserve a well-deserved recognition within the framework of the Bonn Climate Award 2025 with a Bonner Alaaf.

David Baier, Head of the Office for Environment and Urban Greenery, Bonn