London, 28 November 2006 – 14 young people from the UK set off to explore Berlin, and were surprised by how much they liked it. Invited by the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and the-voyage, participants spent 3 days checking out the sights, soaking up the atmosphere and meeting the locals.
The winners of the ‘Discover Berlin’ essay competition (organised by the GNTO and the-voyage) travelled to Berlin, where their busy itinerary included a city sightseeing tour, visits to the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and the Story of Berlin as well as shopping time on the Ku’Damm. The group sampled some local cuisine, visited the British Embassy and met some young Berliners.
Participants were between 16 and 17 years old, and for many it was their first visit to Germany.
In diaries they recorded their experiences, and their overall impression was one of surprised admiration and a genuine interest in the city.
“My view on returning home from the trip was that it was an unusual city as it was surprisingly quiet, relaxing and laid back for a capital city.” (Karen Tierny, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, aged 17)
“I fell in love with Berlin on this trip, and although it was only short I can imagine myself spending much more time there in the future.” (Sarah Nash, Angus, Scotland, aged 17)
“I believe all of us had some sort of stereotypes of a typical German person in our head, but this had completely changed once we had experienced Germany for ourselves.” (Sean Collinge, London, aged 17)
“I was amazed how cheap it was to live in a major capital of Europe! I’d been led to believe that Germany was an expensive country; this was cheaper than Sheffield! … It really was like nowhere I’d been before!” (Emily Hammerton-Barry, Sheffield, aged 17)
The GNTO is very happy with the trip, which is an important step for the GNTO to break into a younger market. Udo Grebe, Director UK & Ireland: “Research has shown that young people in Britain don’t know enough about Germany. This trip is only a small step, but it’s a step in the right direction, as it has shown that Germany (and in this case Berlin) has a lot to offer for young people. We are overwhelmed by the participants’ positive feedback, and we’re hoping they’ll tell their friends and they’ll come back to visit with their families.”
Notes to the editor:
A film documenting the trip as well as participants’ diaries are available upon request from the GNTO.
The Voyage: British German Connection is a British-German bilateral project, which has been developed and established in co-operation between the governments and cultural institutions of Germany and the UK. Main project partners are the Foreign & Commonwealth Office London, British Council Berlin, Auswärtiges Amt Berlin/German Embassy London and Goethe Institut London.
Further partners of the project were:
Air Berlin, Berlin Tourist Office, A & O Hostels