Jakob von Uexkull
Encyclopedia
Jakob von Uexkull is a writer
, lecturer
, philanthropist, activist and former politician. He served as a Member of the European Parliament
1987–1989, representing the German Green Party. In 1980, Uexkull founded the Right Livelihood Award
, commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, and in 2006, he co-founded the World Future Council
. Born in Sweden, he holds both Swedish
and German
citizenship, and is a resident of the United Kingdom
.
, Sweden
but stems from a Baltic German family that left Estonia
after World War I
. After studying in Sweden and Germany, he won a scholarship to Christ Church, Oxford
, graduating in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
His grandfather Jakob von Uexküll
was a biologist and the founder of the study of biosemiotics
. He introduced the term environment into biology.
Uexkull is married and has three children. He lives with his family in London.
and one relevant to the lives of the poor majority of the world's population. He offered to contribute financially but his proposal was turned down.
Uexküll then created the Right Livelihood Award and provided an initial endowment
by selling his collection of postage stamps for US$ 1 million; the awards have subsequently attracted additional funding from private individuals enabling it to donate annual prizes worth 150.000 Euro
. In 1980, the first Right Livelihood Awards were bestowed in a rented hall. Five years later, the invitation to present them in the Swedish parliament in Stockholm
followed. Since 2005 his nephew Ole von Uexküll
has taken over the management of the Right Livelihood Award.
(1987–89), he served on the Political Affairs Committee and the Science and Technology Committee. He was also a member of the Delegation for Relations with the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Baltic Intergroup.
Uexkull is co-founder of The Other Economic Summit
(1984), and founder of the Estonian Renaissance Award (1993). He is a patron of Friends of the Earth
International, member of the Council of Governance of Transparency International
, and of the Global Commission to Fund the United Nations. He served on the Board of Greenpeace
, Germany, and the New Economics Foundation
, London. He was also a member of the UNESCO Commission on Human Duties and Responsibilities. Uexkull lectures on environment, justice and peace issues. He is also a philatelist with publications including 'The Early Postal History of Saudi Arabia' (London, 2001).
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, philanthropist, activist and former politician. He served as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
1987–1989, representing the German Green Party. In 1980, Uexkull founded the Right Livelihood Award
Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award, also referred to as the "Alternative Nobel Prize", is a prestigious international award to honour those "working on practical and exemplary solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today". The prize was established in 1980 by Jakob von Uexkull, and is...
, commonly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, and in 2006, he co-founded the World Future Council
World Future Council
The World Future Council is an independent body formally founded in Hamburg, Germany on 10 May 2007. "Formed to speak on behalf of policy solutions that serve the interests of future generations", it includes members active in governmental bodies, civil society, business, science and the arts...
. Born in Sweden, he holds both Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
citizenship, and is a resident of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Biography
Uexkull was born in UppsalaUppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
but stems from a Baltic German family that left Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After studying in Sweden and Germany, he won a scholarship to Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, graduating in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
His grandfather Jakob von Uexküll
Jakob von Uexküll
Jakob Johann von Uexküll was a Estonian biologist who worked in the fields of muscular physiology, animal behaviour studies, and the cybernetics of life. However, his most notable contribution is the notion of umwelt, used by semiotician Thomas Sebeok...
was a biologist and the founder of the study of biosemiotics
Biosemiotics
Biosemiotics is a growing field that studies the production, action and interpretation of signs in the biological realm...
. He introduced the term environment into biology.
Uexkull is married and has three children. He lives with his family in London.
Right Livelihood Award
The Right Livelihood Award evolved from von Uexküll's opinion that the Nobel Prizes were relatively narrow in scope and usually recognised the work of citizens in industrialised countries. Uexküll first approached the Nobel Foundation with the suggestion that it establish two new awards, one for ecologyEcology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and one relevant to the lives of the poor majority of the world's population. He offered to contribute financially but his proposal was turned down.
Uexküll then created the Right Livelihood Award and provided an initial endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
by selling his collection of postage stamps for US$ 1 million; the awards have subsequently attracted additional funding from private individuals enabling it to donate annual prizes worth 150.000 Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
. In 1980, the first Right Livelihood Awards were bestowed in a rented hall. Five years later, the invitation to present them in the Swedish parliament in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
followed. Since 2005 his nephew Ole von Uexküll
Ole von Uexkuell
Jens Ole von Uexküll is executive director of the Stockholm-based Right Livelihood Award Foundation, which annually awards the so-called "Alternative Nobel Prize" in the Swedish Parliament...
has taken over the management of the Right Livelihood Award.
Activism
The German Green Party has several times nominated Jakob von Uexkull in elections to the European Parliament. As a Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(1987–89), he served on the Political Affairs Committee and the Science and Technology Committee. He was also a member of the Delegation for Relations with the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Baltic Intergroup.
Uexkull is co-founder of The Other Economic Summit
The Other Economic Summit
The Other Economic Summit , was a counter-summit to the annual G7 summits, first held in 1984 in London. It included diverse groups of economists, greens and community activists...
(1984), and founder of the Estonian Renaissance Award (1993). He is a patron of Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
International, member of the Council of Governance of Transparency International
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
, and of the Global Commission to Fund the United Nations. He served on the Board of Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, Germany, and the New Economics Foundation
New Economics Foundation
The New Economics Foundation is a British think-tank.NEF was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The Other Economic Summit with the aim of working for a "new model of wealth creation, based on equality, diversity and economic stability"....
, London. He was also a member of the UNESCO Commission on Human Duties and Responsibilities. Uexkull lectures on environment, justice and peace issues. He is also a philatelist with publications including 'The Early Postal History of Saudi Arabia' (London, 2001).
Honours and prizes
- Officer’s Cross of the Order Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2009)
- Erich-Fromm-Prize in Stuttgart, Germany (2008)
- Great Binding Prize for Environmental Protection, Liechtenstein (2006)
- Time Magazine European Heroes Award (2005)
- Mariana Order, Estonia (2001)
- Future Research Prize, Salzburg (1999)
- Bios Prize, St. Petersburg (1998)
External links
- Right Livelihood Award - Official website
- Jakob von Uexküll - Founder
- Time Europe - Got his eyes on the prize