Federal President Steinmeier awards the Order of Merit in Neuruppin!

Federal President Steinmeier awards the Order of Merit in Neuruppin!

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has moved his official residence to Neuruppin, in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin region, for three days. The occasion was not only the traditional “local time”, which Steinmeier regularly uses to talk to local people, but also the awarding of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Loud Northern Courier The Federal President had a full schedule and many exciting conversations on July 3rd at 2 p.m. in the Kulturkirche.

Steinmeier visited various institutions and facilities in Neuruppin, including a company for automation systems as well as a canoe club and a district court. The focus was on the exchange with citizens. This type of dialogue is important for Steinmeier in order to address social conflicts and get to know their different perspectives.

Honors for special commitment

A central point of his visit was the awarding of seven citizens who had made a special commitment to the community. The honorees come from Neuruppin and other regions of Brandenburg and were recognized for their commitment in various areas, such as child and youth support, integration work and public relations. Those honored include:

• Dres. Almut und Karl-Heinz Götz, Neuruppin: Engagiert im kulturellen Bereich, darunter Gedenkveranstaltungen an die Lyrikerin Eva Strittmatter.
• Thomas Heidemann, Neuruppin: Kinder- und Jugendtrainer, entwickelt neue Sportmodelle während der Corona-Zeit.
• Michael Landeck, Neuruppin: Lehrer und Initiator des Projekts “Dein Park”, welches 2024 mit dem Bundespreis Stadtgrün ausgezeichnet wurde.
• Gabriele Lettow, Neuruppin: Engagiert in der Denkmalpflege und für die kulturelle Bereicherung der Stadt.
• Sigrid Schumacher, Zernitz-Lohm: Ehrenamtliche Bürgermeisterin, die sich für den Ausbau von Einrichtungen in ihrer Gemeinde stark macht.
• Jürgen Sternbeck, Fehrbellin: In der Kommunalpolitik aktiv und setzt sich für lokale Vereine ein.

These honors are a sign of the high value of voluntary work in the region. In his last speech, Steinmeier emphasized the importance of committed citizens who enrich local life through their efforts. The conversations with medical students on the campus of the Brandenburg Medical School were also very informative. Among other things, the family atmosphere and the shortage of doctors in rural areas were discussed there. Steinmeier was impressed by the dynamism and enthusiasm that the people of Neuruppin have for their city.

At a time when many cities and rural regions are struggling for attention and support, the commitment of local people is particularly valuable. Steinmeier's conversations and visits during his “local time” are intended to encourage people to remain active and to support their own communities.