Hanau Sustainability Award 2022

On July 4, 2022, the annual ceremony for the City of Hanau’s Sustainability Award took place at the Amphitheater in Hanau. As a founding member, Umicore once again sponsored the Jury Prize, which comes with a cash prize of 6,000 euros. The Jury Prize is awarded to individuals who have submitted a sustainable initiative, creative idea, or project for which the necessary funding for implementation was previously lacking. With the prize money won, many projects can now move forward with implementation.

Third place, with a cash prize of 1,000 euros, went to the Schlüchtern Ecological Research Station in cooperation with the Alteburg School in Biebergmünd. This collaborative project aims to sustainably manage orchard meadows and preserve old orchard varieties through a grafting project at the school.

This year, the project “Sustainability in the Community” by the Alevi Community of Hanau and Surrounding Areas e. V. can celebrate winning second place and prize money of 2,000 euros. This initiative focuses on embedding sustainability in the community through projects for the landscaping of the community’s outdoor areas, educational projects on environmental topics such as waste separation and disposal, as well as the use of solar energy and heat pumps, all with the involvement of community members and groups.

First place and the accompanying prize money of 3,000 euros were awarded to the AJOKI Campus team. The Campus is a project comprising several partners aimed at creating a meeting, educational, and cultural space at the old St. John’s Church in Hanau. This space is intended to offer students from neighboring schools the opportunity to implement community projects such as food sharing, recycling, or the creation of a green oasis in the city. At the same time, the VHS is creating a public learning and gathering space there for anyone interested. The AJOKI Campus provides an open space for working, learning, networking, relaxing, sharing, and connecting. It stands as a visible symbol of social responsibility in the region.

“It has now been five years since the Sustainability Award was launched based on an idea that emerged from the network. Five years during which more than 100 sustainable ideas, initiatives, and projects have been developed, all with a common goal: to make Hanau and the surrounding region more sustainable. All in all, this represents a tremendous commitment of which we can all be very proud,” said Dr. Bernhard Fuchs at the beginning of his speech.  ​​​​​​​