12 June 2024, Berlin, Germany, Residence of the Republic of Ireland to the Federal Republic of Germany: Elmar Conrads-Hassel, founder of the German-Irish Lawyers and Business Association, was honored with the “Ambassador of Ireland Award 2024” from the hands of the Ambassador of Ireland to Germany, H.E. Dr. Nicholas O’Brien.
The Ambassador of Ireland Award has been awarded since 2020 to a person who is committed to promoting Ireland in Germany or who makes a lasting and outstanding contribution to German-Irish relations or the Irish community in Germany.
Presenting the award to Elmar Conrads-Hassel at the Embassy’s annual Bloomsday reception, Ambassador O’Brien said: “I am delighted to recognize Elmar Conrads-Hassel and his decades-long commitment to German-Irish relations with the Ambassador of Ireland Award 2024.”
“Thirty-six years ago, Elmar founded the German-Irish Lawyers and Business Association (DIJW/GILBA). As the Association’s president for thirty years and its first and only elected honorary president since 2018, he has enabled the development of an invaluable network of Irish and German legal and business experts and has had a lasting impact on German-Irish relations.”
Mr. Conrads-Hassel, who comes from Bonn, said: “Since our time working together in Ireland from June 1987 to October 1990, Ireland has been our “dream country” and our “second home” for my wife and me. In this respect, it is a special joy and honor for me to receive this award. Since our “love for Ireland at first sight,” I have been volunteering as honorary chairman or chairman of the board for three bilateral non-profit German-Irish organizations: the “German-Irish Lawyers and Business Association (DIJW/GILBA)”, of which I was also the founding president, “The Ireland Funds Germany e.V.” and the “German-Irish Friendship Foundation/The Ireland Funds Germany Foundation.” I regularly attend the annual conferences of the DIJW/GILBA and the “Ireland Funds worldwide”, usually together with my wife, Dr. Ursula Hassel.
With all three organizations, we support – with Membership fees and donations – social and cultural bilateral or intra-Irish (Northern and Irish) non-profit projects, initiatives and associations as well as Irish students who want to learn German or improve their language skills during or alongside their studies at one of the five major universities in Ireland.”
For further information
Irish Embassy in Germany: https://www.ireland.ie/en/germany/berlin/
