Dalia Grybauskaitė, Ex-President of Lithuania receives World Economic Award

Former Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė is to be awarded this year’s Kiel World Economic Prize.

Dalia Grybauskaitė, who was also EU Budget Commissioner, will receive the prize in the Politics category, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), the state capital and the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Tuesday. In the category of economy Hans-Julius Ahlmann is honored, managing partner of the ACO Group (Rendsburg), and in the category of science Prof. Ufuk Akcigit of the University of Chicago.

The non-endowed prize will be presented during Kiel Week on June 19. The award is intended to provide an impetus for tackling global challenges across borders. It recognizes thought leaders of a cosmopolitan, free-market and social society.

Dalia Grybauskaitė has distinguished herself as an outstanding budget politician, resolute crisis manager, responsible president and committed European. She successfully led Lithuania out of the financial crisis and integrated it into European integration and also NATO.

said Kiel’s Lord Mayor Ulf Kämpfer (SPD)

“Hans-Julius Ahlmann is a strong entrepreneurial personality and a committed philanthropist,” expressed IHK Vice President Knud Hansen about this award winner.

“He made the ACO Group a global player, even the world market leader in drainage technology.”

IfW Kiel Vice President Stefan Kooths gave the following reasons for the third nomination: “Ufuk Akcigit’s research on economic growth, innovation and corporate dynamics is attracting worldwide attention and provides concrete bases for decision-making in politics.”

This, he said, helps to understand, for example, why the economy in eastern Germany has lagged behind that of western Germany to this day.