Mona Küppers, 68, received this award for her commitment to sailing and gender equality from the Mayor of Oberhausen, Werner Nakot. In his laudatory speech, he emphasised Küppers' many years of voluntary work: "In your life to date, you have been a pioneer in many areas, often the first woman at the top, a fighter and role model, especially for younger women," said Nakot.
First woman to head the DSV
Küppers has been President of the DSV since 2017, making her the first woman to head the association, which was founded in 1888. She was previously Chairwoman of the Sailing Association of North Rhine-Westphalia and DSV Vice President from 2015 to 2017 with responsibility for cruising, leisure and popular sports.
Long before this time, the Oberhausen native had already been campaigning for gender equality. From 2011 to 2019, Küppers was a member of the spokesperson group of the German Olympic Sports Confederation's (DOSB) Women's General Assembly and is still a member of the spokesperson group of the DOSB's umbrella organisations. She was honoured with the DOSB badge of honour in 2019.
Mona Küppers holds the position of Vice President for Employee Development and Gender Equality at the North Rhine-Westphalia State Sports Association. From 2016 to 2021, she led the German Women's Council, an association of more than 60 women's organisations with over twelve million members. At the DSV, Mona Küppers is also the contact person for the prevention of sexualised violence.
It won't work without voluntary work"
"We are very proud that our President has received this honour," said DSV Vice President Dirk Ramhorst. "At the same time, we see the Federal Cross of Merit for Mona Küppers as a strong signal for the voluntary work that is carried out every day in all German sailing clubs. It doesn't work without voluntary work!"
Küppers herself expressed her gratitude to her fellow campaigners to YACHT online: "I was often asked why I was doing this, and then I had to listen to them: "You won't achieve anything anyway!" - but I'm not alone, I'm the face of an entire team. And that's how I understand this award!"
