On September 12, the ACG and the Heinrich-Boell-Stiftung will hold a discussion and reception with Silke Gebel, Member of the German Green Party and
Chair of the Green Party in the Berlin House of Representatives
Silke Gebel is Chairwoman of the state Parliamentary Group of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (Alliance 90/The Greens) in the Berlin House of Representatives, where she was elected in 2013 to represent Berlin-Mitte. As Chairwoman, she is particularly involved in issues relating to the governance of the Social Democratic-Green-Left coalition in Berlin. The Green Party has been involved in the state government in Berlin since 2016. Trained in public administration, Ms. Gebel joined the Greens in 2003 and served as Political Director of the Green Youth in the federal government.
Ms. Gebel’s main concerns are to advance strong environmental protection, with a focus on ensuring access to clean water, improving air quality, and expanding public green spaces in the city. Her commitment to Berlin’s health sector is unique. She initiated a Green Hospital Program, which is the city’s first comprehensive policy to make hospitals more sustainable. Ms. Gebel believes that strengthening environmental protection and minimizing resource use in sectors as important as health care will make Berlin more equitable and livable for all residents, especially children and the elderly, who are most affected by pollution.
Another focus of her work is digitalization, which offers innovative ways to modernize Berlin and meet the great challenge of making the city climate-neutral. On an international level, Ms. Gebel advocates for constructive discussions on the future of European political cooperation for peace, from which the city of Berlin has greatly benefited. As a committed European, she is a member of the Young European Federalists of the European Union. She is also a member of ver.di, one of the most powerful trade unions in Germany, representing nearly 2 million people.