At the Constructive World Award in Berlin on Thursday evening, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner called for a new desire for solutions in Germany: "If we always ask first what is going wrong, we forget to ask what can succeed. We should believe again that problems can be solved. Not all of them immediately. But with experience, ideas, pragmatism and together."
For the third time, BurdaForward and FOCUS online presented the fledgling award for critical and constructive journalism. The media professionals are honored for their journalistic work and the personalities portrayed for their ideas and projects.
BurdaForward Managing Directors Dr. Lydia Rullkötter and Daniel Steil welcomed around 250 guests from the media, politics, business and science. Journalist and news presenter Nele Würzbach hosted the emotional evening. In her opening speech, Dr. Lydia Rullkötter underlined the social importance of the award: “We have to focus on what is successful and possible. It is wonderful to see that we as a media company, together with the people here, have the power to change things for the better.”
Julia Klöckner in conversation with Tijen Onaran
The stage talk between Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and entrepreneur Tijen Onaran, which was recorded live for the “MUT” podcast series by FOCUS online, was the first highlight of the evening. Klöckner and Onaran spoke about power games in parliament, democracy under pressure and women at the levers - and, in keeping with the podcast title, about why we need more courage now than ever.
Klöckner made a fiery appeal:
That's Germany: we don't just have thinkers, we also have pluckers. Germany has room for dissent, for warmth, for confidence, for doubt. Our country has plenty of room. The important thing is that everyone has a feel for it and puts something into the big picture.“
"Good journalism has the power to bring about positive change"
Especially in times when crises and negative headlines dominate, constructive perspectives are needed. "Good journalism is not limited to the communication of information. Good journalism has the power to bring about positive change. This evening is a round of applause for all those who use their energy to advance our society," says host Daniel Steil.
The Constructive World Award has since developed into a network of media professionals, high-ranking representatives of foundations, companies, publishers and people from politics, science, business and, of course, individuals, whose commitment receives support and visibility here. "This platform is impressive. It has the potential to bring about change and counter the negativism of this world with ideas and role models," says Steil.
Over 200 submissions in six categories
The six categories of the Constructive World Award are based on the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. They are intended to cover the most pressing issues facing our society. In total, the 29-member jury (https://www.constructive-world-award.com/die-jury-2025/) evaluated more than 200 submissions, including contributions from ZEIT, ARTE, ZDF, 3Sat, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Stern, Frankfurter Rundschau, ProSieben, RTL, Deutschlandfunk. Both texts and audio contributions or cross-media and moving image formats were taken into account.
The Constructive World Award winners:
Category: Better Planet
Contribution: The Wonderful World of Seagrass Meadows
Media representative: Florian Guthknecht
Protagonists: Prof. Dubilier & Prof. Reusch
First published on 05/04/2024 in ARTE/ZDF
Link: Wunderwelt Seegraswiese
Category: Fundamental Survival
Contribution: Helping when things get serious
Media professionals: Stella Könemann (author) and Annette Hoth (editor)
Protagonists: Diane Roberts & Pamela Schwarz-Hartkopf
First published on 10/08/2024 in the ZDF media library
Link: Help when things get serious
Category: Healthy Earth. Healthy Children
Contribution: Sowing knowledge
Media professionals: Rike Uhlenkamp (text) and Rainer Kwiotek (photographer)
Protagonist: Mary Madalo Harawa
First published on 06/03/2022 in the Frankfurter Rundschau
Link: Sowing knowledge
Category: Innovative Infrastructure
Contribution: Urban planning for the future
Media representative: Claudia Mayer
Protagonist: Stephan Brenneisen
First published on 03/08/2023 on Galileo, Pro Sieben
Link: Urban planning for the future
Universal Empowerment
Contribution: Where does the hatred of women come from?
Media representative: Sophia Maier
Protagonist: Sawsan Chebli
First published on 11/23/2023 on RTL
Link: Where does the hatred of women come from?
Category: Economic Life
Contribution: Malawi – Industrialized countries pay for climate damage
Media representative: Verena Garrett
Protagonist: Tom Mtenje
First published on 11/22/2024 on 3 Sat, Nano
Link: Malawi – Industrialized countries pay for climate damage
