SPNI to receive Shimon Peres Award for longstanding ties with German NGOs
The award, which is funded by the German Foreign Ministry and The German-Israeli Future Forum, is given out each year for special contributions to Israeli-German ties.
By AARON REICHRepresentatives from SPNI and NAJU are seen working together.(photo credit: SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN ISRAEL)
Israeli nature conservation organization Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is set to receive the Shimon Peres Award on Tuesday, alongside German conservation groups Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and National Association of Youth Organizations (NAJU), in recognition of the longstanding collaborative efforts between the groups since 2011.The groups will be presented the award by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.The award, which is funded by the German Foreign Ministry and The German-Israeli Future Forum, is given out each year for special contributions to Israeli-German ties, something the numerous collaborations between these three organizations reflects, as it "constitutes a model for connections between professional organizations that share professional knowledge through cooperation and common interests," SPNI said in a statement.SPNI was established in 1953 as a response to Israeli government plans to drain the wetlands in the Hula Valley. Since then, their conservation efforts have expanded to focus on a wide variety of environmental issues including but not limited to air pollution, metropolitan parks, sewage dumping, conserving endangered species and leading the fight against poaching in Israel.The group has worked with NABU and NAJU for nearly a decade, and dates back to when a SPNI volunteer traveled to Germany to study following the completion of their service in the IDF and subsequently began volunteering with NAJU. This then led to a formal introduction between the two organizations and later extended to a visit by SPNI to a nature reserve operated by NABU in the Baltic Sea.In March 2016, the three organizations even signed a memorandum of cooperation, ensuring further cooperative efforts for the sake of conservation efforts.The longstanding ties between the three groups are motivated mutual interests and a desire to exchange knowledge and expertise in numerous areas relating to nature conservation, such as climate change birding, environmental education renewable energy and more, according to SPNI international relations director Gili Bezalel.Winning the award "illuminates, recognizes and honors another aspect of SPNI's conduct - the existence of international professional connections in the field of nature conservation and nature conservation education," SPNI CEO Iris Hann explained."Nature and environmental challenges know no bounds, and it is exciting that even in these difficult days we have received recognition for leading the environmental challenge in the international arena as well," Hahn continued, adding that the group hopes to continue to promote joint projects and exchange knowledge and experience in the future.
