Wiesbaden/Frankfurt - On April 26th, 2009, the European hotel cooperation presented Joachim Franz with the Prix Romantik Liebold in Wiesbaden. The award gala was attended by 200 Romantik hoteliers from eleven European countries as well as high-ranking members of the hotel industry and public life. The honorary speech was given by Prof. Dr. Carl H. Hahn, the former Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen, who has witnessed the development of Joachim Franz from common toolmaker in Wolfsburg to passionate fighter against social deficiencies: "Joachim Franz set an example not only with his spectacular actions in the fight against aids, but also with his personal way of life. He has pointed out that you have to start with yourself, and that determination and confidence in the own abilities can make a difference."
With his team the 48-years old Wolfsburg-born organises worldwide education campaigns on the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome known as aids, gives lectures in companies and schools and collects money for charity. Every year the extreme-sportsman starts on an "aids awareness expedition" like the first Sahara Desert crossing by mountain bike in 2001 or climbing the highest mountains from the North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope in 2008. Joachim Franz is partner of the UN and was VW health ambassador.
The Prix Romantik Liebold is an international, intersectional award created in 2007. Setting the example and giving his name is Friedwolf Liebold, Romantik hotelier for many years, visionary and trailblazer for the European structure of the hotel cooperation. The first award went to Albert Darboven, coffee roaster from Hamburg. "The Prix Romantik Liebold is presented to personalities whose thinking and acting is impressed by all the values that should be strengthened in our society and that should be lived in daily life", Roland Zadra, president of the European cooperation of privately run hotels, explains. The values Romantik stands for are tolerance, genuineness, passion, tradition, culture, education, savoir vivre, responsibility, geniality, hospitality, friendship, quality and justice.
From the point of view of Romantik Hotels & Restaurants Joachim Franz represents these values in an exemplary way. Romantik president Roland Zadra: "If you get to know him, you experience real authenticity. And you understand why Joachim Franz initiates projects that nearly exhaust his powers. He is not doing it for himself or his own success but to change things by motivation."
The reasons for the choice: Like the Romantik hoteliers Joachim Franz defines his life by values. He names courage, intelligence, discipline, confidence and humanity. His personal development, the commitment to others and the dedication which he uses to bring his message to the people and to communicate values to teenagers are exemplary. Joachim Franz is a personality making a difference. And he proves: If you really want something, you can get it.
Joachim Franz on the award: "I feel honoured that people think I should receive an award. It is a sign of great appreciation that proves that people see and understand what I do and that they think it is right to do it. That gives me fresh energy and I need energy to fight against aids." It has a special meaning to Joachim Franz that the award is presented by the Romantik Hotels. "I know and appreciate Romantik Hotels, because I always experienced a special hospitality and atmosphere there. Now that I learned more about Romantik, I'm no longer surprised because they live the same values that I do. If I may say something to the Romantik hoteliers and employees: Keep these values alive. Values and tradition are very important and they are two sides of the same coin. I think that these values should be transported beyond Romantik. The ability to do this exists. I have come across people who are - in my opinion - able to make even more of a difference." Joachim Franz allocates the 5,000 euro related to the award to the organisation Hope Cape Town.