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The 2023 World Mayor Prize and Awards will be conferred on mayors who have demonstrated that by listening to and working closely with the citizens of their own communities as well as by forming partnerships and friendships with towns and cities at home and across borders, cities can succeed where nations struggle. Mayors shortlisted for the World Mayor Prize have been commended for their humanity, local leadership and their ability to bring people together. Stefan Fassbinder, Mayor of Greifswald, Germany, has been given the 2023 World Mayor Friendship Award Commendations for Stefan Fassbinder Mayor of Greifswald, Germany Commended by Zbigniew L. Goleniów, Poland As project partners from Goleniów, the partner city of Greifswald we would like to express our sincere praise and appreciation for Mayor Dr Fassbinder of our partner city, Greifswald. His outstanding commitment extends not only to the concerns of senior citizens and recipients of social services but also focuses on disadvantaged youth. The collaboration with Mayor Fassbinder and his team consistently takes place in a respectful and partnership-oriented manner. On an equal footing, we collaboratively create offerings and structures that enable seniors and disadvantaged youth from our partner cities to establish long-term connections and actively participate in promoting our cooperation. Furthermore, our mayor advocates for street-working initiatives that contribute to providing disadvantaged youth with a place of support. These proactive measures not only empower the youth but also contribute to shaping an inclusive and supportive community. His dedication to an inclusive and supportive community is evident not only within his own city but also throughout the entire border region. This is manifested in the establishment of sustainable structures that address the diverse needs of the Euroregion and provide the opportunity to independently contribute to shaping our shared future. Commended by Dr Franz C., Greifswald I write to support Dr Stefan Fassbinder's Nomination as World Mayor. Stefan Fassbinder has been Mayor of the Hanseatic City of Greifswald since 2015. He strongly advocates initiatives for sustainability and climate protection at the local, national and international levels. He lives up to the goals of climate protection, 'green' ideas and a sustainable lifestyle also by his commitment, for example by riding his bike to reach his place of work in the town hall rather than using a car. Stefan Fassbinder has always supported Sister City Partnerships, for example with Goleniew in Poland, Drohobych in Ukraine and Pomerode in Brazil. He strives to make Greifswald with its university a city with international flair and a place where people from all nations are welcome. In conclusion, I strongly believe that Stefan Fassbinder deserves to be nominated as World Mayor. Commended by Kathrin S.-J., Greifswald Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, als Leiterin des Mehrgenerationenhauses Aktion Sonnenschein Greifswald schlage Herrn Dr. Fassbinder für den World Mayor Prize vor. Herr Dr. Fassbinder hat einen großen Anteil am Gelingen der Städtepartnerschaften. Das Mehrgenerationenhaus ist aktiv an der Städtepartnerschaft mit Goleniów beteiligt. Der Oberbürgermeister hat die Grundlage für den freundschaftlichen Austausch gelegt und fördert die Städtepartnerschaften. Ohne sein Engagement wäre diese Verbindung nicht möglich. Gerade in Zeiten, in denen demokratiegefährdende Bewegungen aktiv sind, ist eine freundschaftliche Verbindung sehr wertvoll. Gemeinsamer Austausch zu verschiedensten Themen stärkt Toleranz, Solidarität und ein friedliches Miteinander, Vorurteile werden abgebaut. Durch seine zugewandte, freundliche Art gelingt es dem Oberbürgermeister unterschiedlichste Menschen zu verbinden. Die Mitarbeiter*innen und Gäste des Mehrgenerationenhauses drücken ganz fest die Daumen für unseren Oberbürgermeister. Commended by Tine S., Greifswald hte ich betonen, dass Herr OB Dr. Fassbinder nicht nur die Belange der Erwachsenen, sondern auch die der Mädchen und Jungen unserer Stadt Greifswald im Blick hat. Mehrere Male empfing er z. Bsp. unsere Kinder des Kinderladen e. V. und beweist somit seine aktive Unterstützung. Er interessiert sich für den Austausch mit Kitas aus Schweden und fördert die große Bedeutung der Zusammenarbeit mit unserer Partnerschaftskita aus Polen. Viele Projekte begleitete er, wie unsere gemeinsame Ausstellung zum Thema „ Sagen unserer Städte“! Sein Einsatz für familienfreundliche Maßnahmen in Greifswald schafft eine positive Umgebung und Perspektive für die Kleinsten unserer Gemeinschaft . Aus diesen Gründen stimmen wir für Herrn Dr. Fassbinder zur Ernennung des „ Worldmajor“! Commended by Josef K., Greifswald Mein Sohn Josef (8 Jahre) möchte gern unseren Oberbürgermeister unterstützen. Sein Unterstützungstext lautet: "Unseren Oberbürgermeister Stefan Fassbinder mag ich sehr gern, weil er sehr nett ist. Als ich mal im Rathaus warten musste, hat er sich für mich Zeit genommen. Und ich finde cool, dass er so viel mit dem Fahrrad fährt und damit was für unsere Umwelt tut." Commended by Susan S., Rostock Stefan Fassbinder muss "Weltbürgermeister" werden, weil er über die Grenzen Greifswalds bekannt und geschätzt wird. Commended by Pascal H., Greifswald Stefan Fassbinder sollte unbedingt der Weltbürgermeister werden, weil er sich für alle, also wirklich alle Gruppen von Menschen in Greifswald einsetzt und immer ein offenes Ohr für deren Belange besitzt. Dies tut er seit 2015 und hat Greifswald und Umgebung zu einer sehr schönen, offenen und belebten Stadt in MV gemacht. Dabei wächst Greifswald immer weiter und macht die Stadt fit für die Zukunft. Ich habe volles Vertrauen in Ihm, wie viele andere in Greifswald auch. Er hat dieses Auszeichnung auf jeden Fall verdient. Commended by Katie S., Newport News, VA, USA I am writing from Newport News, VA on behalf of Mayor Fassbinder and nomination for World Mayor. Mayor Fassbinder is the Lord Mayor of our Sister City, Greifswald. I have known Mayor Fassbinder for 8 years and have been impressed by his passion for Greifswald. He is strong advocate for Green and Sustainable initiatives in Greifswald; he even rides his bike to work each day. During covid, he participated in a roundtable discussion via zoom with Newport News and our Mayor to share Greifswald’s programs. Further, Newport News has competed against Greifswald in the World Cycling competition. As part of the Sister Cities organization and our Sister City partnership, we have sponsored several student exchanges with the high school in Greifswald. Mayor Fassbinder has been a strong advocate and for the student exchanges. The kids spent time in Newport News and Greifswald and made a lastly impression on them. There was also a series of adult exchanges; everyone was warmly welcomed by the Mayor and town. Mayor Fassbinder understands what it takes to have a vibrant City. He believes in the future with Green Initiatives. On a recent visit to Greifswald, I was pleasantly surprised to see car charging stations at the Town Hall doorsteps. He understands that strong connection with cities, like Newport News, beyond Germany is important to broaden the horizon of its inhabitants. He embraces the arts and culture of the town which is evident by its wonderful art museum and beautiful renovation of its buildings. In closing, I send my strong recommendation from Newport News for Mayor Fassbinder as World Mayor. Commended by Robert Krupowicz, Mayor, Goleniów, Poland Cooperation between the Goleniów Commune and the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald began in the 1980s and was formally signed in 2006. After 2006, cooperation continued in many areas. Goleniów-Greifswald cooperation does not only consist in visits of official delegations. On the contrary - in addition to several meetings of·local government officials of our cities, participation in various types of conferences, e.g. on senior policy, climate protection, education, upbringing and care of children, culture and sports. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic changed everything. Everyone was aware that the pandemic was a huge threat to cross-border cooperation. Thanks to the initiative and commitment of mayor Dr. Stefan Fassbinder, we began to perceive this situation as a huge opportunity - a stimulus for what inevitably awaits us in the future - increasing the scope of remote work performed in international projects, which has so far been treated with reserve. Together with mayor Dr. Stefan Fassbinder, we have established areas of cooperation during the pandemic. The result of these activities was the implementation of 59 joint activities during this difficult time, including: online conference led by the mayor, online concerts and exhibitions, joint cooking by senior groups, signing of 5 bilateral cooperation agreements between institutions from Goleniów and Greifswald. It is worth emphasizing the fact that thanks to the personal involvement of Dr. Stefan Fassbinder, Greifswald joined the collection of gifts for the residents of the second partner city - Ukrainian Slavuta. Commended by David H. Pomerode, Brazil Ich bin Agraringenieur im Rathaus von Pomerode, Brasilien: Oberbürgermeister Fassbinder ist ein großer Befürworter von Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Klimaauswirkungen, was durch lokale Maßnahmen seine Sorge um die globalen Auswirkungen zeigt. Nicht nur lokale Aktionen, sondern Aktionen in Zusammenarbeit mit unserer Gemeinde Pomerode im Süden Brasiliens. Die durch Projekte zur Förderung nachhaltiger Mobilität erhaltene Ermutigung war sehr wichtig für die Veränderung der Wahrnehmung, wie wir der Umwelt helfen können. Für diese Ermutigung danken wir Oberbürgermeister Fassbinder. Grüsse aus Pomerode Commended by Marta M., Greifswald As a resident of the city of Greifswald with Polish heritage, I would like to hereby make my statement about our mayor: English version Dr. Fassbinder is an outstanding example of international engagement and inclusive city leadership. Under his guidance, our city has expanded existing partnerships by promoting various collaborations between Greifswald-based associations and Polish counterparts. This has contributed to making our city an open and diverse community. Through his support and the dedicated work of his administrative staff, local associations, including children's, seniors', and migrant groups, have received concrete assistance in applying for various large and small EU INTERREG projects. This has allowed them to expand their activities and continually improve the quality of life in our city. His notable efforts to strengthen cooperation with our Polish partners and promote the cultural diversity of our city are particularly noteworthy. Our city has become a diverse and a multilingual place today, celebrating the cultural and linguistic diversity of its residents. The Mayor and his administration work in a manner that values and fosters diversity, with high quality of life, and where citizens feel united in an inclusive and open community. Thanks in part to this openness and existing partnerships, assistance was extended to refugees from Ukraine, activating the existing network to help refugees coming to the city and deliver donations to partner cities. His open and appreciative approach has created a framework in which many residents and associations of the city have volunteered to support refugees. Greifswald is and remains a place of solidarity! Deutsche Fassung Herr Dr. Fassbinder ist ein herausragendes Beispiel für internationales Engagement und eine inklusive Stadtführung. Unter seiner Leitung hat unsere Stadt bestehende Kooperationen ausgebaut, indem er verschiedenste Kooperationen zwischen Greifswalder Vereinen und polnischen Partnern gefördert hat. Dies hat dazu beigetragen, unsere Stadt zu einer offenen und vielfältigen Gemeinschaft zu machen. Durch seine Unterstützung und die engagierte Arbeit seiner Verwaltung-Mitarbeiterinnen haben lokale Vereine, darunter Kinder-, Senioren- und Migrantengruppen, konkrete Unterstützung bei der Antragstellung in Rahmen von verschiedenen großen und kleinen EU INTERREG Projekten erhalten. Dies ermöglichte es ihnen, ihre Aktivitäten auszubauen und die Lebensqualität in unserer Stadt kontinuierlich zu verbessern. Besonders bemerkenswert ist seine Bemühung, die Zusammenarbeit mit unseren polnischen Partnern zu stärken und die kulturelle Vielfalt unserer Stadt zu fördern. Unsere Stadt ist heute ein bunter und mehrsprachiger Ort, der die kulturelle und sprachliche Vielfalt seiner Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner feiert. Der OB und seine Verwaltung arbeiten in der Art und Weise, in der die Vielfalt geschätzt und gefördert wird, die Lebensqualität hoch ist und die Bürgerinnen und Bürger sich in einer inklusiven und weltoffenen Gemeinschaft vereint fühlen. Unter anderem dank dieser Offenheit und der bestehenden Kooperationen konnten auch geflüchteten Personen aus der Ukraine geholfen werden, indem das bestehende Netzwerk genutzt wurde, um den Menschen vor Ort zu helfen und die Spenden in die Partnerstädte zu bringen. Seine offene und wertschätzende Art hat einen Rahmen geschaffen, in dem sich viele Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner und Vereine der Stadt ehrenamtlich für Geflüchtete engagiert haben.Greifswald ist und bleibt solidarisch! Commended by Patrick B., Greifswald Ladies and Gentlemen: When I found out about the nomination for our mayor, I was very happy. The mayor of Greifswald gave us a lot of support in establishing contacts with the twin city of Lund (Sweden). There has been a regular exchange with athletes between Greifswald and Lund for two years now. Dr. Fassbinder has a big heart for projects of this kind and deserves this award. He helps where he can and is very committed to diversity and intercultural cooperation. Mit sportlichen Grüßen Commended by Taras Kuchma, Mayor of Drohobych, Ukraine On behalf of the community of Drohobych City (Ukraine), I would like to take this opportunity to express my support for Dr. Stefan Fassbinder, the Mayor of Greifswald (Germany), who has been nominated for the World Mayor Prize 2023. Couple of words about our partnership. The first contacts between the cities of Greifswald and Drohobych took place in 2017, and a partnership agreement was signed in 2019. Relations between the cities are developing rapidly thanks to the personal involvement and attention of the Mayor of Greifswald. At most stages, Stefan Fassbinder is the initiator and the one who supports and stimulates cooperation. Regular personal communication between the mayors of the two cities ensures that the cooperation is active and is developing in the right direction. Stefan Fassbinder personally participates in all activities between the cities and also joins the actions to support Drohobych initiated by local residents during the war in Ukraine. Stefan Fassbinder regularly initiates discussions at meetings of responsible persons about the possibilities of cooperation and support for Drohobych. The mayor pays special attention to students from the University of Drohobych who study under exchange programs at the University of Greifswald, not only introducing them to the city and its management system, but also trying to create the most comfortable conditions for them to stay abroad. Thanks to his position, the relations between the cities are not only classic partnerships, but also friendly ones with great potential for growth in all spheres of life. Also, the cities have experience of cooperation in different areas. From the very beginning of cooperation between the cities of Greifswald and Drohobych, Greifswald has been actively supporting it by expanding the scope of cooperation. The two cities have also developed a project on energy efficiency in the municipal sector. Greifswald involved Drohobych in its own project with the participation of its partners from Sweden and the United States to achieve sustainable development goals, thereby not only expanding the scope of cooperation with Drohobych but also the network of partner cities. Greifswald also actively supports Drohobych during the war by providing humanitarian support to our residents and internally displaced persons, as well as by hosting refugees from our community and those internally displaced persons who arrived in our community but needed help abroad. This cooperation and support are very important for our city and Dr. Stefan Fassbinder plays a key role in it. Our community highly appreciates his initiatives and contribution to the development of the partnership. We sincerely hope that his contribution will be appreciated. Commended by Aleksandra B., Greifswald I would like to express my great support for Mayor Stefan Fassbinder. He is extremely open to ideas and initiatives of citizens. I very much appreciate his intensive cooperation with partner cities: be it Goleniow or Drohobych, especially his initiatives during the coronavirus pandemic and war. Besides, he has created conditions in our city in which you want to live and to which you want to return: we have great playgrounds for kids, our city is green, colorful and adapted to the needs of the elderly - there is a place for everyone here. I love the fact that he supports multilingualism: in the office for citizens when dealing with official matters we can communicate not only in English but also in Polish. Moreover, I like the fact that in what he does he tries to take into account the effects on the climate: And not only when it comes to his cycling :). He is a very warm person who always finds time for everyone. Commended by Heiner K., Oranienburg, Germany I fully support Dr. Stefan Fassbinder as World Mayor 2023 not only because he expands and thoroughly maintains his city’s ties in the Baltic Sea region, but also reaches out to cities in other parts of the world. Most importantly, the partnership with the Ukrainian city of Drohobych, which was officially established in 2019 by Dr. Fassbinder, must be mentioned in that regard. Additionally, I like to highlight the work of Dr. Fassbinder as an active member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Focusing on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, the Congress is one of the most important political bodies on the sub-national level in Europe. I very much appreciate Dr. Fassbinder’s contributions to the work of the Congress. Stefan Fassbinder is a real European and a strong supporter of international co-operation. He really deserves becoming the World Mayor 2023. Commended by Meike D., Greifswald I support Stefan Fassbinder as the world mayor 2023 because he not only created new partnerships with various cities around the world but also revived some of the traditional cooperations that has been forgotten. He is focusing his work on youth exchange which is a great contribution to cross-cultural communication which will build a great foundation for the future. Furthermore, he co-operates with cities in Brazil to develop climate action plans. He has my fully support. Thanks for considering him. Commended by Birgit S., Greifswald Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, ich unterstütze die Wahl von Stefan Fassbinder zum World Mayor. Die Universitäts und Hansestadt Greifswald (UHGW) pflegt mit vielen Städten partnerschaftliche Beziehungen. So haben mehrfach Schüler*innen des Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Gymnasiums mit Partnern aus Kotka Finnland, Szczecin Polen, Riga und Engure Estland neben den Partnerschaften des Humboldt-Gymnasiums mit Unterstützung des Oberbürgermeisters Projekte gestaltet. Dazu kommt der Austausch online und persönlich mit Newport News in den USA und Pommerode in Brasilien. Ebenfalls von Schülern des Jahn-Gymnasiums. Commended by Florian F., Eberswalde, Germany He is a very good mayor. Commended by Thomas K., Berlin Schon bevor er zum Oberbürgermeister gewählt wurde, hatte Stefan Fassbinder sich öffentlich zum Gemeinwohl engagiert. Es liegt wohl in seiner Natur. Eine Eigenschaft, die ihm in der Bürgerschaft und dann als OB zugutekam. Ob im engsten Kreis oder auf europäischer Bühne, Partner wurden zu Freunden. Commended by M.M., Greifswald I vote for Stefan Fassbinder, because of his many active ties to partner cities, especially to Ukraine. Commended by Jörn K., Greifswald Here is my voting for mayor of Greifswald. Important task for him is to involve the inhabitants, especially the youth, to develop such international contacts. For your information: The World Mayor Project, organised by the philanthropic City Mayors Foundation since 2004, has no connection with any city or organisation and is run on strictly non-commercial lines. Sponsorships, advertising, subscriptions, donations or any other kind of revenue are NOT sought and will be rejected, if offered. 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