Marianne Graf

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Marianne Graf (born December 28, 1951 in Sankt Marein near Graz Styria ) is an Austrian development worker. She is co-founder and chairwoman of the board of the “Albania-Austria Partnership” association.

Life

Marianne Graf is married to Wilhelm Graf. As a graduate of university courses in development policy and global economy, she happened to come to Albania . Affected by the hopelessness and poverty in the country, she and her husband founded the non-profit association Albania-Austria Partnership in 1992 .

The work focuses on education and health care, children's rights, building bridges in mountain villages, building wells, women's projects, peace projects, protection of minorities, cultural and interreligious dialogue, ecology, strengthening smallholders and planting fruit trees.

A total of around 100 construction projects - schools, medical care centers, kindergartens, social housing, educational centers, bridges - were carried out and over 30,000 family packages were distributed.

At the end of the 1990s, Marianne Graf was confronted with the wave of refugees from Kosovo . From May 1998 to the end of the year around 3,500 refugees were cared for. In March 1999 the number rose to 13,000 refugees who were cared for until they returned to Kosovo.

Before the German UN troops moved in in July 1999, Marianne Graf was in Kosovo, in the area around Drenica. She initiated the reconstruction of 540 destroyed houses, which were ready for occupation in November 1999. A center for traumatized children, multiethnic kindergartens and youth centers, sheep herding and agricultural support were other aid activities in Kosovo.

Awards

  • 1996: "Mother Tereza Order" of Albania
  • 1998: European candidate for the “Humanitarian Award” (San Diego (USA)) alongside Paul Newman and the King of Thailand
  • 1998: Gold Medal of Honor of the State of Styria
  • 1999: Josef Krainer Home Prize
  • 2001: "Grand Prize for Peace and Humanity" together with UNO Administrator Bernard Kouchner and KFOR Commander General Mike Jackson in Kosovo
  • 2002: "Großer Johann-Award" - Woman of the year 2002
  • 2003: “Award for Humanity” - presented by Michail Gorbatschow and Helmut Kohl
  • 2004: Doctor honoris causa from the University "Luigji Gurakuci" in Shkoder (Albania)
  • 2004: Great Decoration of Honor of the State of Styria
  • 2004: Human Rights Prize of the State of Styria
  • 2005: Gold Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria
  • 2006: Lady of the Order of the Holy New Year's Eve - highest distinction of the Vatican
  • 2006: Children's Rights Prize of the State of Styria
  • 2007: Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Prime Ministers, parliamentarians from all political groups and representatives of public life in Albania and Kosovo
  • 2008: Soroptimist Award - Soroptimist International
  • 2009: Main square + main street of the city of Rubik (Albania) were given the name "Marianne Graf"
  • 2010: Honorary citizen of the Fernitz community
  • 2010: Appointment as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Albania
  • 2010: Felix Ermacora Human Rights Award - Advancement Award
  • 2011: "Honorary Office of the Year" for the European Year of Volunteering as an award for life's work (Land Steiermark and Steirisches Volksbildungswerk )
  • 2012: Opening of the "Marianne Graf Primary School" in Fernitz
  • 2013: ASA Award for Social and Charity Achievements
  • 2014: Cardinal König Prize
  • 2015: Honorary citizen of Gjegjan and honored of the region
  • 2016: Honorary member of the "Rozafa Expression" music association in Shkoder / Albania
  • 2016: "Excellence Leadership Award" from the University for Business and Technology in Prishtina / Kosovo
  • 2016: "Knight of the Order of the Skenderbeg" - presented by the Albanian President Bujar Nishani

Publications

  • Albania north of the Shkumbin, illustrated book, 2003
  • Northern Albania, From Petrela to Jezerca, 2006
  • Declarations of love to our fellow creatures, children's book, 2002
  • Let me live your love, meditation
  • Heaven Far and Angels Near, Guide to Finding Christmas, 2007
  • With warmth of the heart and the strength of a bear, Mutmacherbuch, 2009

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cardinal König website - report on the award ceremony on March 13, 2014
personal data
SURNAME Count, Marianne
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian co-founder and president of the Albania-Austria partnership
DATE OF BIRTH December 28, 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH Sankt Marein near Graz