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111-418: The World Wildlife Fund distinguishes two Restinga ecoregions . This ecoregion article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Brazil location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature ( WWF ) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in

222-775: A 12-year-old girl who was collecting tree bark in Bardiya National Park . Park and WWF officials allegedly obstructed investigations in these cases, by "falsifying and destroying evidence, falsely claiming the victims were poachers, and pressuring the families of the victims to withdraw criminal complaints". In July 2019, Buzzfeed reported that a leaked report by the WWF accused guards of beating and raping women including pregnant women while torturing men by tying their penises with fishing lines. The investigations were cut short after paramilitary groups threatened investigators with death. The investigators accused WWF of covering up

333-691: A 1994 agreement regarding international use of the WWF initials. On 10 August 2001, a UK court ruled in favour of the World Wide Fund for Nature. The World Wrestling Federation filed an appeal in October 2001, but later withdrew their appeal. On 5 May 2002, the World Wrestling Federation changed its Web address from WWF.com to WWE.com , and replaced every "WWF" reference on the existing site with "WWE", officially announcing their name change to "World Wrestling Entertainment"

444-575: A bestseller in Germany, but was banned from Britain until 2014, when it was released under the title of PandaLeaks – The Dark Side of the WWF , after a series of injunctions and court orders. The book criticizes WWF for its involvement with corporations that are responsible for large-scale destruction of the environment, such as Coca-Cola, and gives details into the existence of the secret 1001 Club , whose members, Huismann claims, continue to have an unhealthy influence on WWF's policy making. WWF has denied

555-674: A case study on WWF called "Negotiating Toward the Paris Accords: WWF & the Role of Forests in the 2015 Climate Agreement": In 2023, Prof. Adil Najam , a globally renowned climate scientist and policy expert from Pakistan, was appointed as the President of WWF International signifying the growing importance on climate change as well as of human well-being in the WWF agenda. In 1947 the Conservation Foundation

666-459: A conscious and meaningful transition of loyalties to his new homeland. Because of this, and in view of the doubts his background initially evoked among some Britons, he longed more than anyone for a chance to get at Holland's aggressors." Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema aka " Soldier of Orange ", decorated war hero. On 25 June 1940, three days after France fell to the German war machine, Bernhard spoke on

777-400: A day later with a "Get the 'F' Out" marketing campaign. The company's stock ticker also switched from WWF to WWE shortly after. The wrestling organization's abandonment of "WWF" initialism did not end the two organizations' legal conflict. Later in 2002, the World Wide Fund for Nature petitioned the court for $ 360 million in damages, but was not successful. A subsequent request to overturn by

888-549: A distorted picture of false statements, defamations and exaggerations, but we will accept that as expressions of opinion." (Translated from the original German: " ein Zerrbild aus falschen Aussagen, Diffamierungen und Übertreibungen, aber das werden wir als Meinungsäußerungen hinnehmen. ") In 2014, Huismann published a revised edition of his 2012 book, originally called The Silence of the Pandas . The original edition had become

999-478: A four day sit-in protest carried out by members of Extinction Rebellion 's XR Youth Solidarity Network at WWF-UK's headquarters in September 2021. In 2000, the World Wide Fund for Nature sued the World Wrestling Federation (now named WWE ) for unfair trade practices. Both parties had shared the initials "WWF" since 1979. The conservation organization claimed that the professional wrestling company had violated

1110-443: A growth in the engagement of those religions with conservation around the world. In the 1990s, WWF revised its mission statement to: Stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, WWF researchers and many others identified 238 ecoregions that represent the world's most biologically outstanding terrestrial , freshwater and marine habitats, based on

1221-464: A large number of different groups to achieve its goals, including other NGOs, governments, business, investment banks, scientists, fishermen, farmers and local communities. It also undertakes public campaigns to influence decision makers, and seeks to educate people on how to live in a more environmentally friendly manner. It urges people to donate funds to protect the environment. The donors can also choose to receive gifts in return. In October 2020, WWF

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1332-571: A luxurious Paris apartment for his mistress Hélène Grinda (granddaughter of Édouard Grinda ), with whom he had a daughter, Alexia, who was illegitimate. Bernhard had an older illegitimate daughter, Alicia, born in the United States (with a German pilot whom he met in Mexico in 1951). On 26 August 1976, a full report of Prince Bernhard's activities was released to a shocked Dutch public. The Prince's own letter of 1974, to Lockheed Corporation,

1443-589: A paid or active member of the Nazi party throughout his life, although he did admit to being part of the movement as part of the Sturmabteilung he claimed he it was needed for him to be member of this organization as a student at the university. He also claimed to severed all ties to the ruling Nazi regime in 1936 when he married princess Juliana of the Netherlands. In interviews he claimed his brother Aschwin

1554-575: A panda named Chi Chi that had been transferred from Beijing Zoo to London Zoo in 1958, three years before WWF was established. Being famous as the only panda residing in the Western world at that time, her uniquely recognisable physical features and status as an endangered species were seen as ideal to serve the organization's need for a strong recognisable symbol that would overcome all language barriers. The organization also needed an animal that would have an impact in black and white printing. The logo

1665-577: A person who had had thirty years experience of linking progressive intellectuals with big business interests through the Political and Economic Planning think tank . Nicholson thought up the name of the organization and the original panda logo was designed by Sir Peter Scott . WWF was conceived on 29 April 1961, under the name of World Wildlife Fund . Its first office was opened on 11 September in IUCN 's headquarters at Morges , Switzerland. The WWF

1776-499: A sort of 'war room' at the international headquarters of conservation, showing where the danger spots are and making it possible to ensure that their needs are met before it is too late. Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld helped to found the WWF, becoming its first president in 1961. In 1963, the Foundation held a conference and published a major report warning of anthropogenic global warming , written by Noel Eichhorn based on

1887-646: A status that was never intended by either Parliament or her Ministers. The Minister of Defence did not choose to correct the Monarch, and the Prince took an active and important role in the Dutch armed forces. By 1944, Prince Bernhard became Commander of the Dutch Armed Forces. After the liberation of the Netherlands, he returned with his family and became active in the negotiations for the German surrender. He

1998-628: A trafficked, endangered pangolin at a hotel in Gabon. There is often no penalty to social media accounts for cruelty to animals on social media platforms. The organization also regularly publishes reports, fact sheets and other documents on issues related to its work, to raise awareness and provide information to policy and decision makers. From 1997 to 2007, the WWF's China office conducted its Environmental Educators' Initiative, which trained thousands of teachers, established environmental education training centers at teachers' universities, and influenced

2109-554: A uniform in public. But a few years later, he was in full military dress when he attended the 1979 funeral of Lord Mountbatten in London. Prime Minister Joop den Uyl made a statement in Parliament and told the delegates that the Prince would also resign from his various high-profile positions in businesses, charities, and other institutions. The Dutch States-General voted against criminal prosecution. Prince Bernhard turned over

2220-474: A worldwide biodiversity analysis which the organization says was the first of its kind. In the early 2000s (decade), its work was focused on a subset of these ecoregions, in the areas of forest, freshwater and marine habitat conservation , endangered species conservation, climate change, and the elimination of the most toxic chemicals. We shan't save all we should like to, but we shall save a great deal more than if we had never tried. Harvard University published

2331-617: Is Beatrix , (born 1938), who later became Queen of the Netherlands. His other daughters with Juliana are Irene (born 1939), Margriet (born 1943) and Christina (1947–2019). He had two "natural", or illegitimate, daughters. The first is Alicia von Bielefeld (born in San Francisco on 21 June 1952). Von Bielefeld has become a landscape architect and lives in the United States. His sixth daughter, Alexia Grinda (a.k.a. Alexia Lejeune or Alexia Grinda-Lejeune, born in Paris on 10 July 1967),

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2442-463: Is a foundation with 65% of funding from individuals and bequests, 17% from government sources (such as the World Bank , DFID , and USAID ) and 8% from corporations in 2020. WWF aims to "stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature." The Living Planet Report has been published every two years by WWF since 1998; it

2553-469: Is based on a Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculation. In addition, WWF has launched several notable worldwide campaigns, including Earth Hour and Debt-for-nature swap , and its current work is organized around these six areas: food, climate, freshwater, wildlife, forests, and oceans. WWF has faced criticism for its corporate ties and for supporting conservation measures that have resulted in violent conflict with local people. WWF

2664-558: Is explained in Andrew Lycett's biography of Ian Fleming. It actually resulted in a life-threatening event, as the entrance and a 200-year-old staircase was destroyed during the bombardment of London by the Nazi's. No one was injured. Prince Bernhard then lowered himself 20 feet to the lowest bit of staircase standing, and then said staunchly and with a mixture of Dutch/British flair, as nothing happened: "Most enjoyable evening!" Bernhards favorite drink during his meeting with Ian Fleming

2775-442: Is his child by Hélène Grinda, a French socialite and fashion model . Although rumours about these two children were already widespread, their status as his daughters was made official after his death. In December 2004, Dutch historian Cees Fasseur claimed that Jonathan Aitken , former British Conservative Cabinet Minister, is also a child of Prince Bernhard, the result of his wartime affair with Penelope Maffey . Prince Bernhard

2886-511: Is no longer permitted to use WWF initials or logo in any new, original footage, packaging, or advertising, with any old-school logos for retro-themed programming now using a modification of the original WWF logo without the F. In June 2009, Touch Seang Tana, chairman of Cambodia's Commission for Conservation and Development of the Mekong River Dolphins Eco-tourism Zone, argued that the WWF had misrepresented

2997-613: Is part of the Steering Group of the Foundations Platform F20, an international network of foundations and philanthropic organizations. The idea for a fund on behalf of endangered animals was officially proposed by Victor Stolan to Sir Julian Huxley in response to articles he published in the British newspaper The Observer . This proposal led Huxley to put Stolan in contact with Edward Max Nicholson ,

3108-451: The Allies after the invasion of the Netherlands . Until his death, Bernhard denied being a NSDAP member or holding a NSDAP membership card. He was respected for his performance as a combat pilot and his activities as a liaison officer and personal aide to his mother-in-law, Queen Wilhelmina , during the conflict, and for his work during post-war reconstruction. During the war, he was part of

3219-614: The Index is used to produce a bi-yearly Living Planet Report giving an overview of the impact of human activity on the world. In 2019, WWF and Knorr jointly published the Future 50 Foods report identifying "50 Foods for Healthier People and a Healthier Planet". In 2018, WWF, TRAFFIC and IFAW launched the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online with 21 tech companies. In 2017, Instagram accounts, Sal Lavallo and Jessica Nabongo ate

3330-640: The Nazi Party , exactly dated on his membership card as 1 May 1933. He also enrolled in the Sturmabteilung (SA), stating to his biographer Sefton Delmer that such a membership was necessary to register for exams – but Van der Zijl points out, that there were no official exams at this university until 1935. Bernhard left Berlin in December 1934 when he graduated and went to work for IG Farben . The Prince later denied that he had belonged to SA, to

3441-706: The Reiter-SS (SS Cavalry Corps), and to the NSKK , but these are well-documented memberships. While he was not a fierce champion of democracy, the Prince was never known to hold any radical political views or express any racist sentiments, although he admitted that he briefly had sympathised with Adolf Hitler's regime. van der Zijl clearly demonstrates, that Bernhard again and again fabulates on his memberships and other activities, to enhance his postwar stance that he never willingly would have joined any Nazi-organization. In October 2023, Bernhard's original NSDAP membership card

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3552-631: The 1930s looking for a suitable husband for Juliana. As a Protestant of royal rank (the House of Lippe was a sovereign house in the German Empire ), Bernhard was deemed acceptable for the devoutly religious Wilhelmina. They were distantly related, seventh cousins, both descending from Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Zeitz-Hoym . Wilhelmina left nothing to chance, and had her lawyers draft a very detailed prenuptial agreement that specified exactly what Bernhard could and could not do. The couple's engagement

3663-675: The CIA and old war friend to help him get things started in the US. Bedell Smith was happy to help set up this meeting and got media expert C.D.Jackson involved in the project. Also banker David Rockefeller had an important role creating the Bilderberg. Finally in May 1954 Bernhard was organizer and chairman of the first Bilderberg and essential in organising a meeting at the Bilderberg Hotel in

3774-552: The London-based Allied war planning council, and saw limited active combat service as honorary wing commander in Royal Air Force (RAF), flying both fighter and bomber planes. He was also an honorary general officer in the Dutch army and was an observer in negotiating the terms of surrender of Nazi forces in the Netherlands. Officially for proven bravery, leadership and loyalty during his wartime efforts, he

3885-691: The Netherlands and took refuge in England. Disagreeing with Queen Wilhelmina's decision to leave the Kingdom, the prince, aged 28, is said at first to have refused to go and to have wanted to oppose the German occupation from within the country. However, in the end, he agreed to join his wife and became head of the Royal Military Mission based in London. His wife Princess Juliana and their children continued on to Canada, where they remained until

3996-614: The Netherlands for his efforts to promote the economic well-being of the country. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Joop den Uyl ordered an inquiry into the Lockheed affair . Prince Bernhard refused to answer reporters' questions, stating: "I am above such things". The Dutch and international press headlined the stories for months. They also brought up records of Prince Bernhard's Reiter SS membership and details of his numerous extramarital affairs. They noted he had purchased

4107-618: The Netherlands for the business elite and intellectuals of the Western World to discuss the economic problems in the face of what they characterised as the growing threat from Communism . This first meeting was successful, and it became an annual gathering known as the Bilderberg Group . The idea for the European Union , first proposed by Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950, was encouraged at Bilderberg. Prince Bernhard

4218-528: The Netherlands. Once Germany attacked his new homeland of the Netherlands in 1940; Bernhard's feelings towards his birth country of Germany changed to antagonism, and he had no problems fighting against Germany for the rest of the war. At the outset of the Second World War, during the German invasion of the Netherlands; the prince, carrying a machine gun, organised the palace guards into a combat group and shot at German warplanes. The royal family fled

4329-712: The Overseas Service of the BBC. He called Hitler a German tyrant and expressed his confidence that Britain would defeat the Third Reich . In 1940, Flight Lieutenant Murray Payne gave the prince instruction in flying a Spitfire . The prince made 1,000 flight-hours in a Spitfire with the RAF's No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF , wrecking two planes during landings. He remained an active pilot throughout his life and flew his last aeroplane 53 years later, with his grandson and heir to

4440-473: The Paris office of IG Farben . In 1937 he married Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, and was immediately given the title Prince of the Netherlands with the style of Royal Highness . Upon his wife's accession to the throne in 1948, he became prince consort . Bernhard was an early member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and served as an officer in the Schutzstaffel . He switched his political allegiance to

4551-618: The Presidency of the international World Wildlife Fund to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh . In an interview published after his death, on 14 December 2004, Prince Bernhard admitted that he had accepted more than one million dollars (US) in bribes from Lockheed. He acknowledged it was a mistake and claimed that all of the money went to the WWF. He said: "I have accepted that the word Lockheed will be carved on my tombstone." He also confirmed having fathered two illegitimate daughters. In February 2008, Joop den Uyl 's biography claimed that

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4662-536: The Queen and her Rasputin". It portrayed Hofmans in a less-than-flattering way. Later, Bernhard admitted that he had personally provided the information for the article. Observers said that, in doing so, he hoped to have Hofmans removed from the court. In the face of escalating tensions, the Prime Minister, Willem Drees appointed a committee of "three wise men" (elder statesmen) to advise the royal couple. Hofmans

4773-762: The Royal Air Force during the war. After the war, he bought a Douglas C-47 Skytrain from the US army and used it as his personal plane. He travelled to places like France, Italy, Argentina, Africa, England and the US where he had many friends in high places. His language skills included Dutch, German, French, English and Spanish. Prince Bernhard reportedly maintained friendships with several high-profile international figures. They included Nelson Mandela due to his interest in National Parks and work for WWF, David Rockefeller as one of his colleagues at Bilderberg, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi , Eva Perón

4884-526: The US Army during the war and later at the CIA. He knew US Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower . Bernhard also became acquainted with Ambassador Joseph Kennedy due to his role as a liaison between Europe and the US, connection to intelligence, multinationals and European royalty. "For Bernhard, the Prince of the Netherlands, the war was a frustrating business. Born a German, he had married Queen Wilhelmina's only child, Princess Juliana, and in due time made

4995-577: The United States and Canada. 1986 was the 25th anniversary of WWF's foundation, an event marked by a gathering in Assisi, Italy to which the organization's International President Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, invited religious authorities representing Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. These leaders produced The Assisi Declarations, theological statements showing the spiritual relationship between their followers and nature that triggered

5106-641: The United States. This led to an informal meeting in Paris in 1952 where they discussed the idea with Paul Rijkens of Unilever, Paul van Zeeland , one of the founders of the EU and advisor to NATO and the Beglian gouvernment, retired British Army General Colin Gubbins of special military operation, french former prime minister Antoine Pinay , Danish conservative leader Kraft and 5 other political leafers. After this Bernhard contacted Walter Bedell Smith , director of

5217-776: The WWF, he created the 1001 club in 1970. It was an exclusive club of members that helped raise US$ 10 million for the WWF, including people like Henry Ford, Gianni Agnelli, Alfred Heineken. He was deeply involved in the creation of numerous nature reserves, including the Chitwan National Park in Nepal, tiger reserves in India, Biebrza National Park in Poland, and the Taï National Park in Côte d'Ivoire. Prince Bernhard

5328-478: The World Wide Fund for Nature was dismissed by the British Court of Appeal on 28 June 2007. In 2003, World Wrestling Entertainment won a limited decision which permitted them to continue marketing certain pre-existing products with the abandoned WWF logo. However, WWE was mandated to issue newly branded merchandise such as apparel, action figures, video games, and DVDs with the "WWE" initials. Additionally,

5439-466: The allegations made against it. WWF has been accused by the campaigner Corporate Watch of being too close to business to campaign objectively. WWF claims partnering with corporations such as Coca-Cola , Lafarge , Carlos Slim 's and IKEA will reduce their effect on the environment. WWF received €56 million (US$ 80 million) from corporations in 2010 (an 8% increase in support from corporations compared to 2009), accounting for 11% of total revenue for

5550-506: The commission before publishing another report. Criticism of the validity of reports critical of government action or inaction, where 'approval' has not been sought before publication, is common in Cambodia. Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands ; 29 June 1911 – 1 December 2004) was Prince of the Netherlands from 6 September 1948 to 30 April 1980 as

5661-524: The court order required the company to remove both auditory and visual references to "WWF" in its library of video footage outside the United Kingdom. Starting with the 1,000th episode of Raw in July 2012, the WWF "scratch" logo is no longer censored in archival footage. In addition, the WWF initials are no longer censored when spoken or when written in plain text in archival footage. In exchange, WWE

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5772-566: The crimes. Releasing an official statement, the WWF claimed that the report was not made public to ensure the safety of the victims and that the guards were suspended and are awaiting prosecution. However Buzzfeed accused the WWF of attempting to withhold the report to the US congressional committee investigating the human rights violations by providing highly redacted versions instead. In the Central African Republic, WWF officials were reportedly involved in an arms deal, where

5883-757: The danger of extinction of the Mekong dolphin to boost fundraising. The report stated that the deaths were caused by a bacterial disease that became fatal due to environmental contaminants suppressing the dolphins' immune systems. He called the report unscientific and harmful to the Cambodian government and threatened WWF's Cambodian branch with suspension unless they met with him to discuss his claims. Touch Seang Tana later said he would not press charges of supplying false information and would not make any attempt to prevent WWF from continuing its work in Cambodia, but advised WWF to adequately explain its findings and check with

5994-492: The drafting of the Ministry of Education 's 2003 guidelines for public school environmental education. The German public television ARD aired a documentary on 22 June 2011 that claimed to show how the WWF cooperates with corporations such as Monsanto , providing sustainability certification in exchange for donations   – essentially greenwashing . WWF has denied the allegations. By encouraging high-impact eco-tourism,

6105-516: The economic intelligence arm of the Wehrmacht. He lodged with Count Paul von Kotzebue (1884–1966), an exiled Russian nobleman of German descent, and his wife Allene Tew , who was born in the United States. After training, Bernhard became secretary in 1935 to the board of directors at the Paris office. Bernhard met then-Princess Juliana at the 1936 Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen . Juliana's mother, Queen Wilhelmina , had spent most of

6216-665: The economy of the Netherlands. After the War, the position of Inspector General was created for the Prince. On 4 September 1948, his mother-in-law Queen Wilhelmina abdicated the throne and Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands with Bernhard becoming prince consort. He was made a member of the boards of supervisors of Fokker Aircraft and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines , and within a few years he had been invited to serve as an adviser or non-executive director of numerous corporations and institutions. There have been claims that KLM helped Nazis to leave Germany for Argentina on KLM flights while Bernhard

6327-500: The elder son of Prince Bernhard of Lippe and his wife, Baroness Armgard von Sierstorpff-Cramm , member of one of the oldest Lower Saxon noble families , House of Cramm . He was a grandson of Ernest, Count of Lippe-Biesterfeld , who was regent of the Principality of Lippe until 1904, and was also a nephew of the principality's last sovereign, Leopold IV, Prince of Lippe . Because his parents' marriage did not conform with

6438-488: The end of the war. In England, Prince Bernhard asked to work in British Intelligence . The War Admiralty , and later General Eisenhower 's Allied Command offices, did not trust him enough to allow him access to sensitive intelligence information. On the recommendation of Bernhard's friend and admirer King George VI ; however, who was also of German aristocratic descent through his mother Mary of Teck , he

6549-518: The family's new estate in East Brandenburg , thirty kilometres east of the River Oder . He was taught privately and received his early education at home. When he was twelve, he was sent to board at the Gymnasium in Züllichau (Sulechów). Several years later he was sent to board at a Gymnasium in Berlin, from which he graduated in 1929. Bernhard suffered from poor health as a boy. Doctors predicted that he would not live very long. This prediction might have inspired Bernhard's reckless driving and

6660-510: The field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment . It was formerly named the World Wildlife Fund , which remains its official name in Canada and the United States. WWF is the world's largest conservation organization , with over five million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries and supporting around 3,000 conservation and environmental projects. They have invested over $ 1 billion in more than 12,000 conservation initiatives since 1995. WWF

6771-475: The husband of Queen Juliana . They had four daughters together, including Beatrix , who was Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 to 2013. Bernhard belonged to the German princely house of Lippe-Biesterfeld and was a nephew of the last sovereign prince of Lippe , Leopold IV . From birth he held the title Count of Biesterfeld; his uncle raised him to princely rank with the style of Serene Highness in 1916. He studied law and worked as an executive secretary at

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6882-430: The illegal trade, they were also participating in it. In 1995, Nelson Mandela called upon the Kumleben Commission to investigate, among other things, the role of the WWF in apartheid-South Africa. In the report that followed, it was suggested that mercenaries from Project Lock had planned assassinations of ANC members and that mercenaries had been running training camps in the wildlife reserves, training fighters from

6993-406: The international press. Fasseur said that Bernhard resorted to bringing in the international press only after repeated, desperate and often dramatic pleading with his wife to distance herself from the Hofmans group. Fasseur wrote: "Bernard was obviously a free spirited chap, who independently went about his business. But he was still very much a family man. I got the feeling he was the only one that

7104-436: The investigations, WWF stated that it takes any allegations seriously and would be launching an independent review into the cases raised. The organisation stated it has stringent policies designed to ensure it and its partners are safeguarding the rights and well-being of indigenous peoples and local communities, and should the review uncover any breaches, it is committed to taking swift action. These accusations were central to

7215-438: The liberation: on 31 May 2006, at the Binnenhof in The Hague, Queen Beatrix conferred the Military William Order , the highest Dutch military decoration, on the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade . The award is now worn by the 6th Airborne Brigade which inherited the battle honours of the brigade. Prince Bernhard helped found the WWF and was the first president of the WWF from its founding year 1961 until 1976. To fund

7326-453: The logo. Policies of the WWF are made by board members elected for three-year terms. An Executive Team guides and develops WWF's strategy. There is also a National Council which stands as an advisory group to the board and a team of scientists and experts in conservation who research for WWF. National and international law plays an important role in determining how habitats and resources are managed and used. Laws and regulations become one of

7437-430: The marriage laws of the House of Lippe , it was initially deemed morganatic , as Armgard didn't belong by birth to any ruling or the former ruling families of Europe , Bernhard was granted only the title of Count of Biesterfeld at birth. He and his brother could succeed to the Lippian throne only if the entire reigning House became extinct. In 1916, his uncle Leopold IV as reigning Prince raised him and his mother to

7548-453: The notoriety of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität as extreme-right including sending away Albert Einstein as a lecturer in the twenties and the early ban of all Jewish societies. She characterizes of the city of Munich as the birthplace of the NSDAP . Back in Berlin at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in October 1931 after a serious illness, he could also indulge in his taste for fast cars, horse riding, and big-game hunting safaris . He

7659-451: The official report investigating the Lockheed bribe scandal also presented proof that the Prince had accepted money from yet another aerospace firm: Northrop . The former Prime Minister claimed he had not made the information public to protect the Dutch monarchy. In 1988, Prince Bernhard and Princess Juliana sold two paintings from their personal collection to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund . The paintings sold for £ 700,000, which

7770-422: The ongoing influence of Greet Hofmans , a faith healer and layer-on of hands . For nine years she acted as a confidante and adviser to Queen Juliana, often residing at Palace Soestdijk. Originally, Hofmans was introduced to Queen Juliana at the initiative of Prince Bernhard in 1948 to treat an eye illness of their youngest daughter, Princess Christina (then still called Marijke). This illness arose because Juliana

7881-534: The organization paid for 15 Kalashnikov assault rifles and ammunition; but part of the money went unaccounted for and they were apparently defrauded by the CAR army representatives selling the weapons. The Kathmandu Post , which cooperated with BuzzFeed News on the investigations in Nepal, claimed there was intense lobbying and political pressure to release WWF-funded rangers arrested for murder. They interviewed activists who claimed they were promised donations for pressuring victims of abuse to drop charges against

7992-629: The organization's global priorities. The WWF has been opposed to the extraction of oil from the Canadian tar sands and has campaigned on this matter. Between 2008 and 2010 the WWF worked with The Co-operative Group , the UK's largest consumer co-operative to publish reports which concluded that: (1) exploiting the Canadian tar sands to their full potential would be sufficient to bring about what they described as 'runaway climate change; (2) carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology cannot be used to reduce

8103-399: The preservation of biological diversity , sustainable use of natural resources , the reduction of pollution , and climate change . The organization also began to run its own conservation projects and campaigns. In 1986, the organization changed its name to World Wide Fund for Nature , while retaining the WWF initials. However, it continued at that time to operate under the original name in

8214-494: The program alleges that WWF contributes to the destruction of habitat and species it claims to protect while also harming indigenous peoples. The filmmaker, German investigative journalist Wilfried Huismann , was sued by the WWF over his documentary and the book Schwarzbuch WWF published in 2012, which was based on the documentary. In an out of court settlement, he agreed to remove or revise certain claims. Speaking on behalf of WWF Germany, Marco Vollmar indicated "[Huismann] draws

8325-661: The protection of biodiversity and natural resources. In 2012, David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK, spoke out against the way shale gas is used in the UK, saying: "...   the Government must reaffirm its commitment to tackling climate change and prioritise renewables and energy efficiency." The organisation works on a number of global issues driving biodiversity loss and unsustainable use of natural resources, including species conservation, finance, business practices, laws, and consumption choices. Local offices also work on national or regional issues. WWF works with

8436-521: The rangers ignored wildlife trafficking networks. In 2019, an investigation by BuzzFeed News alleged that paramilitary groups funded by the organisation are engaged in serious human rights abuses against villagers, and the organisation has covered up the incidents and acted to protect the perpetrators from law enforcement. These armed groups were claimed to torture, sexually assault, and execute villagers based on false accusations. In one instance found by BuzzFeed News investigators, an 11-year-old boy

8547-706: The rangers. When the local Tharu community protested, WWF officials carried out a counter-protest in favour of the accused and used park elephants to block Prithvi Highway . An investigation by Rainforest Foundation UK found evidence of widespread physical and sexual assault by 'eco-guards' employed by the Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo funded by WWF. These include two cases of gang rape, two extrajudicial killings, and multiple accounts of torture and other forms of mistreatment committed by park guards. In reply to

8658-456: The rank of Prince and Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld , thereby retroactively according his parents' marriage dynastic status. The suffix Biesterfeld revived the beginning of a new cadet line of the House of Lippe . After World War I, Bernhard's family lost their German Principality and the revenue that had accompanied it, but the family was still reasonably well-off. Bernhard spent his early years at Reckenwalde palace ( Wojnowo , Poland),

8769-744: The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to a level comparable to that of other methods of oil extraction; (3) the $ 379 billion which is expected to be spent extracting oil from tar sands could be better spent on research and development in renewable energy technology; and (4) the expansion of tar sands extraction poses a serious threat to the caribou in Alberta . The organization convinces and helps governments and other political bodies to adopt, enforce, strengthen and/or change policies, guidelines and laws that affect biodiversity and natural resource use. It also ensures government consent and/or keeps their commitment to international instruments relating to

8880-574: The risks that he took in the Second World War and thereafter. The prince wrecked several cars and planes in his lifetime. Bernhard studied law at the University of Lausanne , Switzerland, in fall 1929 until the spring of 1930, then in Berlin, then in Munich the following year in the fall of 1931, and then again in Berlin. In Munich Bernhard enrolled himself on Oct. 24t, 1930. Van der Zijl also stresses

8991-534: The sale of their airplanes and of Northrop's for money, and was degraded from all his military functions with a lifelong ban on wearing any military uniform. Bernhard helped found the World Wildlife Fund (WWF, later renamed World Wide Fund for Nature ), becoming its first president in 1961. In 1970, along with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and other associates, he established the WWF's financial endowment " The 1001: A Nature Trust ". In 1954, he

9102-510: The throne, who inherited his passion for flying. In 1941, Prince Bernhard was given the honorary rank of wing commander in the Royal Air Force . As "Wing Commander Gibbs (RAF)", Prince Bernhard flew over occupied Europe, attacking V-1 launch pads in a B-24 Liberator , bombing Pisa , and engaging submarines over the Atlantic in a B-25 Mitchell , and conducting reconnaissance over enemy-held territory in an L-5 Grasshopper . Prince Bernhard

9213-415: The trust. Prince Bernhard resigned his post after being involved in the Lockheed bribery scandals . The WWF has set up offices and operations around the world. It originally worked by fundraising and providing grants to existing non-governmental organizations with an initial focus on the protection of endangered species . As more resources became available, its operations expanded into other areas such as

9324-442: The work of Frank Fraser Darling (then foundation vice president), Edward Deevey , Erik Eriksson, Charles Keeling , Gilbert Plass , Lionel Walford , and William Garnett . In 1970, along with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and a few associates, Bernhard established the WWF's financial endowment The 1001: A Nature Trust to handle the organization's administration and fundraising. 1001 members each contributed $ 10,000 to

9435-603: The year. For their 2019 fiscal year, WWF reported 4% of their total operating revenue coming from corporations. In 2017, a report by Survival International claimed that WWF-funded paramilitaries are not only committing abuses against the indigenous Baka and Bayaka in the Congo Basin , who "face harassment and beatings, torture and death", but are also corrupt and aid in the destruction of conserved areas. The report accused WWF and its guards of partnering with several logging companies who carried out deforestation , while

9546-593: Was a co-founder of the international Bilderberg Group , which has met annually since then to discuss corporate globalisation and other issues concerning Europe and North America. He was forced to step down from both groups after being involved in the Lockheed Bribery Scandal in 1976. Bernhard was born Bernhard Leopold Friedrich Eberhard Julius Kurt Karl Gottfried Peter, Count of Biesterfeld in Jena , Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach , German Empire on 29 June 1911,

9657-513: Was a collection of monologues, remarks and speeches that Hitler gave during lunch or dinner to those he had invited. In those notes, Hitler is recorded to have said that Bernhard approached him, shortly after the start of the Nazi regime, with an offer of support to increase German influence in the Netherlands. When asked in an interview in 2004 why he changed sides and started fighting against his homeland Germany, Bernhard claimed that he did not believe that Hitler and his regime had no plans to invade

9768-622: Was a member of the "Reiter-SS", a mounted unit of the SS , part of the National Socialist Motor Corps . Historian Flip Maarschalkerweerd discovered a NSDAP membership archive card that showed he had been a member of the NSDAP, also known as the Nazi Party from April 1933 to June 1934 and again from November 1934 until January 1937. His Nazi Party membership card was found in his belongings after his death. Bernhard denied being

9879-526: Was a real Nazi at the time, but that he was only Nazi on paper. Various members of his family and friends were aligned with the Nazis prior to the Second World War, and a number of them attended the royal wedding. Protocol demanded that the prospective Prince-Consort be invited to an audience with his head of state, who was Adolf Hitler . Hitler gave an account of the conversation that he had with Bernhard in his Tischgespräche ( Table Conversations ). The book

9990-582: Was a very outspoken person who often flouted protocol by remarking upon subjects about which he felt deeply. Almost until his last day, he called for more recognition for the Polish veterans of the Second World War, who had figured greatly in the liberation of the Netherlands. But it was not until after his death that the Dutch Government publicly recognised the important role of the Polish Army in

10101-687: Was a vodka martini shaken, not stirred. Bernards favorite car in London was a Bentley 4,5 litre, the same car Bond had in Fleming's first books. He also owned many Ferraris and several Aston Martins and was known as a very flamboyant personality. Bernhard also had a close relationship with the Americans during the war, that continued after the war in his work as chairman of the Bilderberg conference. He worked with and continued to be friends with Walter Bedell Smith and Allen Dulles , both working for

10212-427: Was allegedly tortured by WWF-funded rangers in front of his parents; WWF ignored all complaints against the rangers. In another incident, a ranger attempted to rape a Tharu woman and, when she resisted, attacked her with bamboo stick until she lost consciousness. While the ranger was arrested, the woman was pressured not to press charges, resulting in the ranger going free. In 2010, WWF-sponsored rangers reportedly killed

10323-490: Was announced on 8 September 1936, and they were married at The Hague on 7 January 1937. Earlier, Bernhard had been granted Dutch citizenship and changed the spelling of his names from German to Dutch. Previously styled as Serene Highness , he became a Royal Highness by Dutch law. His appropriateness as consort of the future Queen would later become a matter of considerable public debate. Prince Bernhard fathered six children, four of them with Queen Juliana. The eldest daughter

10434-664: Was appointed a Commander of the Military William Order , the Netherlands' oldest and highest honour. After the war he was made honorary air marshal of the RAF by Queen Elizabeth II . In 1969, Bernhard was awarded the Grand Cross (Special Class) of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany . He became entangled in the so-called ' Lockheed Bribery Scandal ' in 1976 for having secretly promoted

10545-544: Was awarded the Dutch Airman's Cross for his "ability and perseverance" (Dutch: "bekwaamheid en volharding"). In 1941 he also received a promotion to Honorary Air Commodore . He also helped organise the Dutch resistance movement and acted as the personal secretary for Queen Wilhelmina. Queen Wilhelmina erased the style "honorary" (the exact words were " à la suite ") in the decree promoting Bernhard to General. In this unconstitutional manner, she gave this Royal Prince

10656-485: Was banished as were various allies and supporters who had grown to prominence within the Royal Household. In 2008 the report of the "three wise men" was made public. Historian Cees Fasseur drew from it for his book, Juliana & Bernhard (2008); in addition, the Queen had granted him access to the private royal archive. He noted that Bernhard was reprimanded in 1956 for having leaked confidential information to

10767-1045: Was conceived to act as an international fundraising organisation to support the work of existing conservation groups, primarily the International Union for Conservation of Nature . Its establishment was marked with the signing of the Morges Manifesto , the founding document that sets out the fund's commitment to assisting worthy organizations struggling to save the world's wildlife: They need above all money, to carry out mercy missions and to meet conservation emergencies by buying land where wildlife treasures are threatened, and in many other ways. Money, for example, to pay guardians of wildlife refuges .... Money for education and propaganda among those who would care and help if only they understood. Money to send out experts to danger spots and to train more local wardens and helpers in Africa and elsewhere. Money to maintain

10878-662: Was deposited in a Swiss WWF bank account. In 1989, however, Charles de Haes , Director-General of the WWF, transferred £500,000 back to Bernhard, for what De Haes called a private project. In 1991, newspapers reported what this private project was: Prince Bernhard had hired KAS International, owned by Special Air Service founder Sir David Stirling , to use mercenaries – mostly British – to fight poachers in nature reserves . The paramilitary group infiltrated organisations profiting from illegal trade in ivory to arrest them. This Project Lock seemed to have backfired enormously, however. The hired mercenaries had not only infiltrated

10989-454: Was discovered in his old residence in Germany. The Prince eventually went to work for the German chemical giant IG Farben in the early 1930s, then the world's fourth-largest company. In 1932, it had already sponsored Hitler's election campaigns. (It survives today as BASF , AGFA , and Bayer ). He joined the statistics department of IG Farben's Berlin N.W. 7 department, the main Nazi overseas espionage centre (known as VOWI) that evolved into

11100-651: Was formed in New York City by Fairfield Osborn . It arranged funding for scientific research into global conservation issues. It did not lobby or engage in politics. In 1985 it became an affiliate of the WWF. In 1990, it completely merged into WWF. The organization now known as the Conservation Foundation in the United States is the former Forest Foundation of DuPage County. In 1996, the organization obtained general consultative status from UNESCO . WWF's giant panda logo originated from

11211-697: Was given access into the Intelligence organization. Prince Bernhard was personally screened by British intelligence officer Ian Fleming at the behest of Winston Churchill . After Fleming's screening was positive, he was given work to do in the Allied War Planning Councils. Ian Fleming, who personally knew Bernhard from their war efforts and from luncheons in the Lincoln's Inn Hotel in London, based some features of his fictional character James Bond on Bernhard. One of their luncheons

11322-586: Was infected with rubella during pregnancy. Hofmans developed a great influence on the Queen, encouraging pacifist ideas. In the period of the Cold War , this caused a crisis in the Royal Household. While the Dutch press did not report widely on the issue, outside the Netherlands, a great deal was written about the Hofmans affair. On 13 June 1956, an article was published in the German magazine Der Spiegel , titled " Zwischen Königin und Rasputin " – "between

11433-540: Was named as one of the alliance partner's of Prince William 's Earthshot Prize, to find solutions to environmental issues. In March 2021, WWF announced an extension of their partnership with H&M to address sustainable supply chain practices. WWF publishes the Living Planet Index in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London . Along with ecological footprint calculations,

11544-547: Was nearly killed in a boating accident and in an aeroplane crash. (He later suffered a broken neck and crushed ribs in a 160 km/h (100 mph ) car crash after his marriage to princess Juliana in 1938). Bernhard was an active member of the Motor-SA and of the Deutsche Studentenschaft , where he inscribed heimself on the 27th of April, 1933. While at university in Berlin for the year 1933, Bernhard joined

11655-410: Was on its board. After a 1952 trip with Queen Juliana to the United States, Prince Bernhard was heralded by the media as a business ambassador extraordinaire for the Netherlands. In the early 1951 Polish diplomat, Józef Retinger contacted Prince Berhard with the idea to create an international conference between European and US greatest influencers to create a better relationship between Europe and

11766-404: Was part of his connection with Argentina, Enzo Ferrari and Gianni Agnelli due to his interest in cars and racing, Ian Fleming , Walter Bedell Smith . and Allen Dulles due to his time in London during the war working with British and US Intelligence and the Dutch military/resistance. In the mid-1950s, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard's marriage faced significant strain because of

11877-646: Was present during the Armistice negotiations and German surrender at Hotel de Wereld ("The World Hotel"), Wageningen in The Netherlands on 5 May 1945, where he avoided speaking German. The Prince was a genuine war hero in the eyes of most of the Dutch; he kept cordial relations with the Communists who fought against the Nazis. In the post-war years, he earned respect for his work in helping to reinvigorate

11988-427: Was publicised; he had demanded "commissions" be paid to him on Dutch government aircraft purchases. This was very damaging evidence of improper conduct by the man who was Inspector-General of the Dutch Armed Forces. Out of respect for Queen Juliana , the government did not press charges against Bernhard. Prince Bernhard resigned as Inspector-General of the Dutch Armed Forces. He was no longer officially allowed to wear

12099-467: Was seeing things were getting completely out of hand and tried to salvage the situation as much as he could." Scandal rocked the royal family in 1976 when the press reported that Prince Bernhard had accepted a US$ 1.1 million bribe from U.S. aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Corporation to influence the Dutch government's purchase of fighter aircraft . At the time he had served on more than 300 corporate boards and committees worldwide and had been praised in

12210-413: Was seen as a jet-setting and charismatic ambassador for the Dutch during post-war reconstruction. He was well known for exclusive car collection, that included special edition Ferrari's made for him by his friend Enzo Ferrari and his love for racing competitions like Formula 1. He owned 14 Ferrari's Berhard travelled around the world, he had his own airplane and had a licence to fly, having been part of

12321-409: Was then designed by Sir Peter Scott from preliminary sketches by Gerald Watterson, a Scottish naturalist. The logo was slightly simplified and made more geometric in 1978, and was stylized and made less detailed in 1986, at the time that the organization changed its name, with the new version featuring solid black shapes for eyes. In 2000 a change was made to the font used for the initials "WWF" in

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