“Echo 2010” project at EXPO 2010

In June 2010, a special suitcase left Berlin for Shanghai, arriving at the German Pavilion today. As it makes it way around the globe, staff at Germany’s various diplomatic representations are filling it with items related to the German language.

The Goethe-Jinchuang language learning centre runs free German taster courses twice a week at the German Pavilion. In 30 minutes, the participants learn simple words – currently the vocabulary is all about football. The German teacher, Daniel Usbeck, kicks a ball from the corner of the Pavilion stage into a goal and the EXPO visitors taking part in the spontaneous class call out “shoot”, “corner” and “goal!” After half an hour, they can already say a few things, for example “Ich liebe Fußball” (“I love football”) or “Tschüs” (“Bye”). They’re surprised how easy and quick it is – proof that learning German can be fun and doesn’t have to be difficult.

So it was only logical to open the suitcase, an ambassador for the German language, and add some more items after the class this morning on the balancity stage. Kristin Augsburg from the Consulate General in Shanghai packed a DVD and a T-shirt promoting the German courses, pavilion press officer Marion Conrady, from Koelnmesse, added the balancity brochure. Shanghai is the case’s second stop, following on from the World Cup in South Africa. The suitcase will continue its journey around the world, including locations such as Brazil, Egypt and Australia, until it returns to Berlin six months later. The German Pavilion team would like to wish it “bon voyage” or “一路平安 yi lu ping an” as the Chinese say.