The winners of this year's Research Prize for Eastern Europe, which is organised by Renovabis and ‘Hope for Eastern Europe’ in cooperation with n-ost, have been announced.
Two research projects were selected this year. Luise Glum, who lives in Armenia, will receive funding for research on the ecological disasters at Lake Sevan, the largest freshwater reservoir in the Caucasus. Karin Finkenzeller, who lives in Germany, was honoured for her project reporting on the challenges of including war-disabled people using the example of Lviv.
Luise Glum deals with the existential consequences of climate change for the people around Lake Sevan and the dilemma that the lake is the basis of life for the people who are contributing to its destruction. In doing so, she links the solutions proposed by environmentalists with the needs of the people. Farmers who are struggling with the drought, fishermen who see their livelihoods threatened, hotel owners whose guests are staying away because swimming in Lake Sevan is no longer possible.
‘It is important that Luise Glum opens up an Armenian perspective on the global problem of climate change,’ says jury member Anneke Hudalla (n-ost). ‘The environmental catastrophe at Lake Sevan is hardly known in Germany. Thanks to her familiarity with the country and its people, Luise Glum will show us the existential hardships that climate change brings for the local people."
In her planned contribution, Karin Finkenzeller focuses on a little-noticed consequence of the Russian war of aggression. Many Ukrainians injured in the war are dependent on long-term inclusion and rehabilitation. Using the example of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Finkenzeller wants to show how concepts are already being developed there to enable veterans with severe physical disabilities to lead a self-determined life - through rehabilitation centres, training courses in prosthetic technology or barrier-free urban planning. However, the acceptance of those people who place great value on a youthful appearance and seemingly flawless beauty must also be considered.
‘This approach highlights the impressive foresight with which Lviv is already developing solutions today for the challenges of tomorrow,’ said jury member Matthias Dörr (Renovabis). ‘In a country that is under enormous pressure due to the war, it is anything but a matter of course that people are already thinking about an inclusive society after the war.’
A seven-member jury, consisting of representatives of the sponsoring organisations as well as Dr Christian Böhme (Tagesspiegel), Petra Bornhöft (taz-Panther-Stiftung), Kerstin Holm (FAZ) and Sonja Zekri (SZ), selected these two outstanding projects from almost 60 submissions, which will receive a total of 7,000 euros in funding.
Save the Date:
The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, at 4:30 pm at futurum, the future centre of Diakonie Württemberg, in Stuttgart.
