March 2002 - Nr. 3
First U.S. High School Students Cross "Bridge New York-Berlin"
TWIG - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder welcomed 25 Manhattan high school students to the German capital Tuesday (February 19), ushering in his German-American solidarity program "Bridge New York-Berlin." The students are touring the country as the chancellor’s guests in a program that grew out of his visit to the World Trade Center site last fall. In a gesture of sympathy and goodwill, Schroeder invited 1,000 young people from New York City to the Federal Republic to promote tolerance, cooperation and understanding between the nations. "We wanted to offer a sign of solidarity after the terrible attacks on your city," he explained to the first group of students to take part in the program. "We wanted to do something that would last."
During a visit with Minister of Youth and Family Affairs Christine Bergman in Berlin Monday, the students put the first strokes of paint on a mural to commemorate the September 11 tragedy. All 1,000 participants will be invited to contribute to the project, conceived by artist Christine Haberstock with support from DaimlerChrysler, a major sponsor of the youth tour.
The group’s itinerary also includes visits to schools and apprenticeship programs, where students will meet with their German peers. They will tour Munich, Heidelberg and Cologne for an insider’s view of German educational, governmental and industrial workings. The trip will focus on intercultural issues, promote tolerance and give students insights into German culture, history and economic matters.
The New York teens visiting Germany this week are among the hundreds of elementary, middle and high school students who were evacuated from the southern tip of Manhattan as the World Trade Center burst into flames. They were selected for the cross-cultural program on the basis of their written and verbal communication skills, and their willingness to share their experiences with others during the trip and on their return. To follow their progress and learn more about this program, visit www.germany-info.org/relaunch/info/publications/infocus/bridge/bridge.html .
