Report to Society 2024

Social

Sports promotion

Olympics: Making participation possible for everyone

2024 was an exciting year for sport: in addition to the European Football Championships in Germany, the mega-events of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris were on the calendar shortly afterwards. Also for the savings banks. For many years, the Savings Bank Finance Group has been a reliable partner of sport in Germany at all levels: Around 100 million euros a year are channelled into supporting top-level Olympic and Paralympic sport, promoting young talent and popular sport. This makes the Savings Bank Finance Group the largest non-governmental sports sponsor in Germany.

The success story of Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu from Gerolstein is a remarkable example that clearly illustrates the multi-level approach of the savings bank sports promotion programme. The young marathon talent had to prove his stamina early on in his life: At the age of 17, Fitwi, as he is known for short, fled the military dictatorship in Eritrea under adventurous circumstances and ended up finding a new home in the Volcanic Eifel. And people who welcomed him, discovered his sporting abilities and encouraged them.

€102.5 million
in funding from the Savings Bank Finance Group for top-level Olympic and Paralympic sport, the promotion of young talent and grassroots sport in 2024

Social commitment of the Savings Banks Finance Group 2024

  • €148.2 m. 
           
    Social affairs
  • €134.8 m. 
           
    Art and culture
  • €102.5 m. 
           
    Sport
  • €25.2 m. 
           
    Environment
  • €20.1 m. 
           
    Promotion of research, business and science
  • €103.7 m. 
           
    Other public welfare purposes
€534.5 million total volume

Savings banks make Olympic participation and regional involvement possible

Kreissparkasse Vulkaneifel has also been one of Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu’s supporters and sponsors from the very beginning. A commitment that has paid off in sporting terms: Fitwi is now one of the best marathon runners in Europe, qualified to take part in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and achieved an outstanding 15th place there. The top athlete received vociferous support from friends and supporters from home, as the Kreisparkasse Vulkaneifel organised two coaches to take enthusiastic Fitwi fans to France.

There is much to suggest that the success story of the talented marathon runner will continue: At the Valencia Marathon in December 2024, Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu not only ran his personal best time, but also set a new German record. And although Fitwi travels abroad a lot for competitions, he still feels at home in the Eifel. He also remains closely associated with Kreissparkasse Vulkaneifel: He regularly supports the bank with initiatives to promote popular sport and fundraising events. “A great advert for our region,” is often heard from the Kreissparkasse, where they are proud to have accompanied Fitwi on his way to the top of the world.