Rome

Rome - 50th international Congress

28th September - 2nd October 2006

Themed "Experience is Future - Service Companies - Players in Today's Society" the 50th international FIDEN congress took place in Rome from 28th September till 2nd October 2006.

The conference, among other subjects, dealed with contemporary issues as the European "directive on the award of public contracts 2004/18/EC" and the "Value of Cleanness in Today's Society". The finish of the event was a round table discussion of the topic "Possibilities and Normative Limits to the Outsourcing of Services", in which took part numerous well-known experts. Mr. Bungart, the General Mangager of the German Federal Association of Cleaning Contractors, reported on "Minimum Wages and Competition in Europe". To him has also been awarded the Arthur Frommholz Price of this year for his merits for the interests of the European building service.

Award of the 2006 Arthur Frommholz Price

to Mr. Johannes Bungart

Never has the name of the winner of the Arthur Frommholz commemorative price been kept such a big secret as this year. There have been many misleading clues in order to keep the identity of the award winner absolutely hidden. We didn’t want to give him the opportunity to deter us from our intent or even to attempt to reject our proposal.

It’s good to know that over the decades there have been people who give all their strength and dedication to their job, who devote themselves entirely to the service of our cause and who, whenever it comes time to receive honours and recognition, say that everything they’ve done isn’t worth mentioning, while other people ask to be rewarded even before they’ve started working.

A person who does his job with so much drive and good humour, who is appreciated by unions and management as a fair and reliable negotiating partner even if decisions are sometimes difficult to make, who encounters challenges on the national and international stages, and who finds answers to pressing questions of the future, earns not only our entire respect, but should receive recognition long before retiring. This is another way of asking him to stay at our side for many more years as a representative of our common interests, as an appreciated partner in negotiations, and as a friend.

Dear Johannes,

We would like to ask you to accept this award, and I myself promise in return that I will not give a detailed report of your large number of activities and accomplishments for our sector on a national and international scale; first, because anyhow I would be able to give only an incomplete report, and second, because there is not enough time this evening to do it.

We are happy to have had you as a member of the Board of Directors of FIDEN for many years and that you will be continuing to assist us with help and advice as a member of the Advisory Council. The fact that you still have time for FIDEN, despite your activities as managing director of the federal association for guild members Bundesinnungsverband Deutschland and the association Deutsche Vereinigung für Facility-Management – not to mention your numerous activities in the European pressure group EFCI –shows us how close you feel to the people in the cleaning sector.

One realises this especially when listening to your contributions and speeches that always show your great expertise and practical orientation.

As a small sign of our gratitude and as encouragement for the future, we would like to award you today with the Arthur Frommholz price and ask you in this regard to remain as dedicated as before to the cleaning and facility management sector. Above all we would like to thank you, however, for your friendship and affection and we look forward to carrying these values jointly into the future.

 

Rome, 29th September 2006