Stengforter Neigekeeten N°114 - Mars 2024

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Portrait of Daniel Frieden

DP representative on Steinfort local council

Daniel Frieden's commitment to the well-being of his fellow citizens has marked his entire municipal career. A dedicated father of two and retired, he has devoted a significant part of his life to his municipality. A former civil servant, he is also an active member of Gaart an Heem Hoen a.s.b.l., the Photo and Film Club Objectif 2001, and has long showcased his vocal talent within the singing club Union Chorale Steinfort-Kleinbettingen (now defunct). Daniel truly embodies the spirit of civic engagement.

Active for many years in the local section of Steinfort, Kleingbettingen, Hagen, and Grass of the Democratic Party, he assumes its presidency. A member of the municipal council of Steinfort since 1999, Daniel has demonstrated his involvement by serving as alderman from 2011 to 2017. His unwavering dedication and deep commitment to improving the daily lives of residents make him a key player for our municipality.

Today, we have the pleasure of learning more about Daniel, his background, his convictions, and his vision for the future of our municipality.

Describe yourself in a few words.

I have never forgotten my origins, coming from a simple family in Kleinbettingen. From a young age, I learnt that success requires hard work.

Kindness: My parents taught me that kindness goes beyond stubbornness, narrow-mindedness, and impoliteness. No one has ever suffered from a simple "hello, good evening, thank you, and please."

Honesty and fairness, respect for others.

A certain determination to bring projects to fruition (even if it takes time).

What motivated you to get involved in local life and become active in a political party?

In my job, I have observed on a daily basis that it is not enough to have good ideas, you also have to be able to put them into practice. It is not enough to exchange ideas and criticism with colleagues or at the counter. You need to be actively involved and systematically represent your ideas. This dynamic works best in the context of local politics, where you have the concrete opportunity to implement projects. National politics, on the other hand, takes you further away from the people.

How has your experience as an alderman affected or influenced you the most?

I have become more open and aware of the importance of listening to people before planning and implementing.

How do you see the future development and improvement of our municipality in the terms of quality of life for its residents?

Steinfort is classified as a PAD municipality, highlighting its many advantages over other municipalities. These advantages play a significant role in the quality of life of our fellow citizens. Consequently, it is imperative that our municipality makes considerable efforts to respect and maintain this status. As Steinfort grows and welcomes more residents, it is essential to ensure that Steinfort develops the necessary infrastructure to maintain and improve the quality of life.

However, it is important to remember that such infrastructure is very expensive. It is crucial to keep an eye on the finances, so that we do not end up with the infrastructure and the next generations have to pay the debt and do not have the means to develop. This would be far from a sustainable policy for our future generations.

What advice would you give to the younger generation who want to get involved in municipal life and make a positive contribution to their local environment?

They must be able to manage and control their dossiers down to the last detail. They need to listen to people while remaining critical and realistic, making promises only if they can keep them.

What does it mean to you to be an active member of Gaart an Heem Hoen a.s.b.l. and Ciné Club Objectif 2001?

To be in contact with people and the members.

Together with colleagues from the respective committees organizing activities that align with the interests of our members.

How do you see the role of citizens in building and maintaining a strong, cohesive municipality?

To ensure the satisfaction of residents within a municipality, it is important to listen to them and work with them to develop projects. There is no point in imposing projects and ideas from the top down. The most effective method is to collaborate with citizens to turn their ideas into reality, following the 'bottom up' principle.

Local councillor Daniel Frieden in private

What are the 3 items you don’t want to be without at home?

My books, my camera, and my tools

Prefer cinema or theatre?

Watching movies on TV - going to the theatre

Prefer pizza or ham, fries, and salad?

It depends on the mood and urge: both pizza and ham, fries, and salad

Bike or car?

Car

Print newspaper or online media?

Print newspaper

Flowers or hedges?

Both, flowers and hedges, each in its place and purpose

Out walking or at home in the garden?

At home in my garden

Wine or beer?

Wine

Analog or digital photography?

Digital

Winter or summer?

Summer