To commemorate Prof. Wangari Maathai, Africa's most famous Green politician and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, the Heinrich Böll Foundation today together with Green politicians, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Ken Nyauncho Osinde, planted an apple tree in the Foundation’s Headquarter gardens in Berlin. Green Belt Movement founded by Prof. Maathai had called for the world on this day to a tree planting event to honor her.

At the commemoration Barbara Unmüßig stated:

"The name Wangari Maathai will always remain connected with the millions of trees, you and thousands of women in all of Kenya have planted. When Wangari saw the plight of the women, she understood that the struggle for the dwindling resources of the country repeatedly led to conflicts and this was abused by the political elites in their own interest.

To promote initiatives to plant trees, to restrain the destruction of the forests and to (re-)create rural livelihood – seemed obvious solutions. With the trees grew the self-confidence of many of the women and communities committed to the movement in all parts of Kenya. The initial idea of environmental education and conservation advanced elements of civil and political commitment.

In the year 1977, Prof. Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a movement that until today, has planted more than 45 million trees and whose example in many African countries has been emulated.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation worked together with Prof. Wangari Maathai from 1995, and awarded her in 2004 the International Petra Kelly Prize for her commitment to democracy, ecological sustainability, human and women's rights.

Additional information is available here: http://www.boell.de/presse/presse-baum-fuer-wangari-maathai-gepflanzt-13046.html 

Photographs are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boellstiftung/sets/72157627766329229/