René Böll was born in 1948 in Cologne and studied painting and printmaking in Cologne and Vienna. In 1972, he began his first works with Chinese and Japanese ink.

Since 1972, René Böll has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in museums, art halls, and galleries in Chile, China (including the Art Gallery of China in Beijing), Germany, Ecuador, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and the United States. He has conducted symposia, training courses, and lectures on Chinese ink, colors, painting techniques from the Middle Ages to the present day, the Irish monastery of Skellig Michael, and many other topics.

In 1998, he was the only foreign artist participating in the first International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen, China. Since October 2002, he has been an Honorary Professor of the Chinese Academy Beijing Nationality University.

In 2022, he was honored with “The Ambassador of Ireland – St. Patrick’s Day Award for the Irish Affinity Diaspora in Germany.” Since 2024, he has been a member of PEN-Zentrum Germany.

René Böll’s artistic inspiration stems from prehistoric art, which holds significant contemporary relevance, as well as East Asian art and pre-Columbian excavations. His work does not embrace ideological tenets or goals and does not seek to be “modern” or “trendy.”

Since 2010, René Böll has been working on a painting and photographic research project on the “Cilliní on Achill Island.” Cilliní is the Irish term for burial grounds for unbaptized people, especially preterm infants who lost their fight for life. In addition, he has written poetry translated into English, Irish, and Italian. In 2019/20, he exhibited in Siegburg under the title “Tiktaalik – the landing of life and its consequences.”

Angelika Niebler is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing the Bavarian political party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), part of the European People's Party (EPP) group. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the CSU and as Chairwoman of the Bavarian Women's Union.

In 2011, she co-founded the Interest Group on Maternal and Neonatal Health in the European Parliament together with Dr. Peter Liese, MEP. This interest group collaborates closely with EFCNI.

Since 2009, she has been lecturing at the Faculty of Business Management at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, where she was appointed Honorary Professor in 2016. In 2017, she was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon in recognition of her commitment to EFCNI.

Jakob Samuel is a renowned Swedish singer-songwriter, widely recognized as the charismatic lead vocalist of the rock band The Poodles. With numerous hits and international acclaim, Jakob has successfully established himself in the rock music scene.

As a father of four healthy children, Jakob is deeply committed to raising awareness and supporting research for newborn and maternal health. Reflecting on his collaboration for GFCNI, he noted:

“When Robert Wells suggested that we should do ‘Sing Me Another Song’ as a charity song for EFCNI, it felt very easy to connect to the topic, since I’m a father of four healthy children. It’s an honor and a pleasure to contribute to putting a spotlight on this subject and hopefully help raise funds for research.”

Jakob continues to use his voice and passion to positively influence causes close to his heart.

Sascha Schnürer is a member of the Bavarian State Parliament, entrepreneur, and experienced business professional. He holds an MBA in International Management from East London Business School (2003). At just 18 years old, he founded his primary company, Schnürer & Company, and spent many years actively involved in the startup scene, collaborating with major corporations such as Siemens, Deutsche Telekom, and Knorr-Bremse. Schnürer’s professional expertise is centered on digital transformation and rural development, topics on which he has lectured at business schools in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. He achieved his first business exit at age 30.

His political career began in 2023 when the Upper Bavaria native entered the Bavarian State Parliament after winning the direct mandate in the Mühldorf am Inn constituency for the Christian Social Union (CSU). Schnürer serves as a member of both the Agricultural Committee and the Health Committee. He has been a dedicated member of the CSU since 2006. Motivated by societal divisions arising from crisis periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic and global challenges, Schnürer transitioned from entrepreneurship to politics. He considers himself a passionate bridge builder, visionary, and bearer of hope.

Beyond politics and entrepreneurship, Schnürer is highly engaged in voluntary social and political activities. He actively participates in organizations such as the Lions Club, the Mittelstandsunion, and the Wirtschaftsjunioren, where he has served as state chairman and member of the federal board.

Schnürer is 45 years old, married, and has four children, one of whom was born preterm. He is an avid hunter, dog handler, and passionate equestrian who operates his own riding stable.

Robert Wells, a renowned musician and entertainer in Sweden, co-founded the Tummeliten (Thumbstall) Foundation together with the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren and later established the Little Star Foundation.

A child prodigy on the piano, Robert attributes his success to a deep passion for diverse musical genres and his remarkable ability to blend jazz, classical, rock, swing, and big band styles into one spectacular performance. His celebrated musical extravaganza, Rhapsody in Rock, has earned him international fame and artistic acclaim, featuring illustrious guest stars such as Lionel Richie, Paul Carrack, and Ronan Keating.

Robert is also an accomplished composer and songwriter, having co-written a track for Celine Dion’s recent album. Additionally, one of his original compositions, arranged by Oscar-winner Tan Dun, served as the official fanfare for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

His personal life took a significant turn after the preterm birth of his first son, which provided firsthand experience with the challenges parents of preterm infants face. Inspired by this experience, Robert founded the Tummeliten Foundation at Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm during the same month his son was born. Since then, he has consistently worked to raise funds and awareness for the foundation and preterm infants through celebrity events such as the Tummeliten Cup, a fundraising golf tournament, benefit concerts, personal appearances, and media engagements.

Robert has also played a key role in the multicultural project Encounters – An Alliance for Children, a musical initiative addressing humanitarian, sociological, and ecological issues worldwide. The project unites artists who actively engage in humanitarian and charitable efforts, aiming to support children living in disadvantaged conditions, including slums, ecologically endangered or devastated areas, reservations, or conflict zones.

Throughout her career at a company producing medical devices, Silke Bahr has held numerous sales and marketing positions around the globe. Her daily responsibilities involved incubators, ventilators, and other medical equipment used in the care of preterm babies. She has visited hospitals worldwide, providing training on how to effectively use medical devices to support the clinical objectives of healthcare professionals. Understanding firsthand the critical importance of GFCNI's mission, Silke is passionate about supporting the organization in any way possible.

As Chairman of the Board of Wörner Medizinprodukte Holding GmbH and Chairman of EMVIA LIVING Group, Dr. Jörg Peter Heimel has long been committed to supporting vulnerable populations through healthcare and social initiatives. Among the most vulnerable are preterm infants, some of whom are born weighing only 1,000 grams, 500 grams, or even less. While some go on to recover fully, others face lifelong challenges.

He recognizes that for these tiniest patients, receiving the most intensive care in the hours, weeks, months, or even years after birth is not only essential for survival but also pivotal in shaping their long-term quality of life.

In response to this urgent need, he and his wife founded the Carry Each Other Foundation for Preterm Children to contribute meaningfully by funding targeted medical and social projects aimed at improving outcomes for preterm babies and their families.

The foundation primarily supports GFCNI, the first organization to not only initiate groundbreaking projects for newborns but also to give this critically important issue a strong voice at the European level.