Silvia Klasens, a student on the Social Work Bachelor's study program at Fachhochschule Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, was awarded 3rd place in the City of Waltrop's Climate Protection Prize 2023(Opens in a new tab) for her artistic seminar paper. The prize is endowed with 500 euros.
The photographic work entitled "Blickwechsel - das Schöne der Natur im Fokus" juxtaposes nature motifs with various images of threats to the environment. Some of the images have a strong regional connection and were often taken just a few meters apart. Others are travel memories and thus point to the global significance of the subject matter.
The award-winning work showed "how important climate and environmental protection are here in Waltrop. I greatly appreciate the commitment, because it requires perseverance, a sense of community and passion for the cause," said Mayor Marcel Mittelbach at the award ceremony.
Silvia Klasen's work was created as a module examination in the seminar "Aesthetic staging of social action" under the direction of Dr. Laura Flöter-Fratesi (deputy professor of cultural studies 2022-2023; currently lecturer).
The prize is sponsored by "WestEnergie AG", a subsidiary of Eon. With the climate protection prize, the energy service provider honors the commitment of citizens in its partner municipalities. All individuals, associations, schools or companies in a city or municipality that have implemented environmental and climate protection projects at a local level can take part. A jury made up of representatives from the respective municipality and Westenergie decides which project will win from all the applications received.