Joseph Wilhelm
Greeting 2017

We are pleased to present you the winners of the 5th One World Award in this booklet.

The three years since the last One World Award ceremony passed by in a flash and the change to a three-year award cycle proved right. Firstly, the extended cycle allows for a sustainable cooperation with the previous OWA winners and for a longer nomination period. This was very helpful for the worldwide call for nominations. Secondly, the additional time facilitated the pre-selection of the more than 40 nominations that reached us this time. Finally, it was also easier to schedule the visits with the finalists and our jury coordinator and our camera man had more time to prepare the material for the jury.

The OWA partners IFOAM and Rapunzel as well as the jury have been thrilled about the once more improved quality of the applications that reached us from four different continents. We attribute this to the ever-growing reputation of the OWA.

Not improved but once again deteriorated has the condition of our planet earth and the livelihood of many people. Disputes about natural resources, borders and religions fuel dangerous conflicts between countries. As a result, many nations fall back onto national isolationism as a would-be solution instead of understanding that we all are in the same boat – literally sitting in the same boat with the refugees on their way across the Mediterranean Sea to the „life raft“ Europe.

Not only physical but also material and social states tend towards equilibrium. If humanity, especially the industrialized countries who have benefited from colonialization (today globalization) for centuries continuously refuse to understand that sustainable welfare of individual countries is only possible when all people are doing sufficiently well, then more conflicts will be inevitable.

All the more important in these strange times is the tireless work of those who receive the OWA. Their projects should encourage all of us to make a contribution in our life and our behavior for a positive and more humane globalization. There are plenty of opportunities.

Please, be courageous!

Joseph Wilhelm
Initiator of the One World Award,
Founder and Managing Director Rapunzel Naturkost