Trotz aller Herausforderungen mit Mut und Zuversicht ins neue Jahr blicken – das ist die Botschaft von Elke Büdenbender bei ihrem diesjährigen Neujahrsempfang. Traditionell lädt sie Anfang des Jahres die Partnerinnen und Partner der in Deutschland akkreditierten Diplomatinnen und Diplomaten ins Schloss Bellevue ein. Eingeladen waren auch die Vertreterinnen und Vertreter der von Elke Büdenbender unterstützten Organisationen und Initiativen.

Lassen Sie uns versuchen, die guten Dinge zu finden, die passieren – im Kleinen wie im Großen. Unterstützen wir Menschen, die Hoffnung geben und nicht aufhören, diese Welt zu einem guten und friedlichen Ort für alle zu machen, sagte Elke Büdenbender in ihrer Rede.

Die Ansprache von Elke Büdenbender im Wortlaut

Ladies and gentlemen,

Mrs Wulff,

A warm welcome and thank you so much for being my guests at this year’s New Year reception.

In any other year, I would start with a brief review giving you all an insight of the many events and encounters that took place, telling you about all the remarkable people I got to know.

However, these are not normal times. So, when I thought about this year’s speech I was torn between two directions. It is either sharing with you so many sad and devastating moments. Or it could be starting the New Year by telling you of all the hope I discovered in between all the negative and challenging things, as I hope that all of these moments will allow us to look forward to 2024 with courage and confidence.

Dear guests,

Let me tell you about my most moving moments of 2023.

All of you will have the opportunity to do so with one another after my short speech – I am hoping that everyone of you will leave the reception with new stories of hope, to carry on and share with others. This could be a spark of light in hard times.

There were the obvious big developments that we all have been confronted with. And there were brief moments and supposedly rather small occurrences that were touching. I am thinking of that one day in February when I met Antonia and her mother.
Antonia, a young woman of 20 years suffering from a rare and incurable disease. Art therapy turned out to be helpful and she has been to the Björn Schulz Foundation to do so several times when we met. Not only meeting this amazing young woman left an impression on me, but even more her mother. It is one of the most difficult things for a mother to watch her child die. Antonia’s mother is such a strong and courageous person despite all she had to go through. Her attitude and perspective on life moved me in a very hopeful way. It teaches us not to surrender but to keep moving and make the best out of every situation.

Suffering comes in small and in large ways.

The war in Ukraine continued in its destructive, brutal and inhuman character. Like in 2022, I, of course, keep close contact with First Lady Olena Zelenska. There are many opportunities to launch initiatives via the First Lady and Gentleman network she founded – but also on the bilateral level. We both are patroness of a congress on mental health and rehabilitation in co-operation with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development that will take place the beginning of February. Together, Ukrainians and Germans, will discuss and develop ideas how existing and new paths of cooperation can be established or improved. That is lived solidarity – and it is now more important than ever to support Ukraine and its people in these unbearable times.

Mental health has become a big topic – and it must not be ignored. More and more people are traumatized by experiences of violence and war. On site, those affected can’t escape. But also in other countries especially young people might get overwhelmed by news and pictures. Or by the stories of young refugees that became class members. We can leave neither of them alone – they have a right to grow up into a good future.

On October 7th another brutal attack has shocked us all and continues to put a burden on the life of many people. Horrible news and pictures leave us speechless. For many years I have supported initiatives and volunteers in the Middle East. This engagement built a solid basis for a more intense engagement now.

I am in close touch with Israel’s First Lady Michal Herzog and have met relatives of the hostages, spoke to young people who experienced and survived the attack on October 7th from Gaza.

It is out of question that we stand by their side and we will continue to show our solidarity. And I am truly impressed by all the work that is done – either professionally or voluntarily – to alleviate suffering and pain.

The suffering and fate of all those people touch me deeply. Many subjects that I have been devoting myself to for several years now show their worst face in the areas of war and conflicts. In particular women and girls, like on October 7th, are confronted with sexual violence – which is deliberately used as a weapon or threat. Women and girls are seen to be weak. But actually we are not!

Not only am I a feminist myself, one of my missions is to empower girls and women. There are so many impressive role models here in Germany and also all over the world. One of last year’s highlights were all the female mayors I met at the congress we organized here in Berlin together with Austria’s First Lady Doris Schmidauer and communal associations from Switzerland, Austria and Germany. We really need more women in political leadership and key positions. Therefore, we will continue to reach that goal and organize a second conference in spring/summer.

Another possibility of participation within democracies are grassroot movements. In this field, too, women can’t leave it only to men to shape our future. A couple of years ago I got to know the peace movement "Women Wage Peace". Since 2015 they work on building connections between Israeli and Palestinian women and include women and men from other local regions and religious backgrounds as well. Although they face hostility from politics and society, the women do not give up and seek dialogue with elected representatives in their actions and regularly demand hearings in political committees. Their commitment and efforts have been invaluable, especially in the last few months and weeks. Women and children in particular suffer the most in this brutal conflict. That the “Women Wage Peace” activists do not become bitter and give up - even despite the fact that their founder was killed in the brutal attacks by Hamas - has my greatest respects. And this is yet another admirable and courage giving example on not giving up.

Let us all show the world: women and girls are strong. And hard to stop!

Ladies and gentlemen,

now it is up to you to share more such stories of hope! I am curious what you experienced.

Before I come to an end – a big thank you for the wonderful music of the Berlin Jazz Institute. You also gave us light and lightness with those cheerful notes!

Dear guests,

May I express a wish?

Let’s not drown in all the challenges, sad and devastating news. But let’s try to find good things that happen – in small or in large ways, people who give and share hope and don’t stop to make this world a good and peaceful place for everyone.

Thank you very much and a peaceful, healthy and joyful New Year to you and your loved ones!