April, 2006 - Nr. 4
Soccer World Cup Sets The Rhythm
Germany rolls out the red carpet for visitors from around the world with diverse, soccer-related fan festivals, cultural events and special exhibitions
Toronto -- Momentum is building in Germany’s 12 Soccer World Cup host cities. Preparations are in full swing for special theatre events, concerts, exhibitions and parties before, during and after the competition, taking place from June 9 to July 9 this year. Germany expects more than 5.5 million additional overnights and one million additional visitors in the 12 host cities and in towns with public big-screen viewing areas.
General excitement is enhanced by the fact that all
non-commercial organizations, including schools, sports clubs and city and
local authorities, as well as 16,000 Protestant parish halls, have been
given permission to show the 64 matches free of charge. Public viewing
events and fan festivals will be held in many towns as well as in the 12
host cities -- Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg,
Hanover, Kaiserslautern, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg and Stuttgart. For more
information, visit the Fanguide 2006 Web site, an Internet site for fans by
fans at www.fanguide2006.org
Touring Exhibitions and Events in Germany and Abroad
Football Globe (March 2003 - July 2006)
The Football Globe mobile pavilion will end its three years of touring through the 12 German host cities as the travelling ambassador for the Artistic and Cultural Programme of the 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP(tm). Designed by André Heller, this enormous globe in the shape of a soccer ball integrates a picture of the world into its form, thus symbolizing the fascination for soccer that not only covers the world, but also brings people of all nationalities together. The Football Globe will be back in Berlin for the time of the matches. (www.fifaworldcup.com/globus)
Skyline Illumination "SkyArena"
Main River Embankment in Sachsenhausen"
(Jun 3-5)
For three evenings, a huge light show will project images of soccer stars.
Accompanied by music, they will be projected onto the sides of eleven skyscrapers for 45 minutes each night. The financial district of "Mainhattan" will serve as an impressive backdrop. (www.wm-frankfurt-2006.de)
German-Brazilian Dance Spectacle "Maracana"
(January ‘06 - July ‘06)
Berlin (May); Frankfurt (May-June); Dortmund (June)
Deborah Colker’s newest choreographic work is dedicated to the fascinating world of soccer, transporting it to the stage with fiery scenes and fast-paced, breathtaking acrobatic movements. The stage turns into the soccer field, the auditorium into the fan stand, the performance reliving the legendary match between Germany and Brazil.
"Garuma"
(March ‘06 - June ‘06)
Berlin (March 9-18); Stuttgart (March 22-26); Hanover (July 5); Dortmund (May 17-25)
This fast-paced play tells the story of the famous Brazilian soccer star Garuma, who
grew up in the slums and became a hero before his tragic
descent. Under the direction of Adriana Altara "Garuma" emerges with samba,
acrobatics and the Brazilian way of live. (www.dfb-kulturstiftung.de)
UNESCO World Youth Festival (Jul 2- 10)
The official motto of the 2006 FIFA World Cup(tm) - "A time to make friends(tm)" - in Stuttgart, this declaration will become a reality for 2,600 young people. Under the umbrella of the 2006 UNESCO World Youth Festival, young people from more than one hundred nations will be welcomed in Stuttgart during the World Cup. A diverse get-together programme of sports, culture and leisure activities organized by local and regional groups provides the opportunity to make many new friends. (www.youth2006.com)
For additional information on the official FIFA World Cup cultural programme, organized by the German Soccer Association (DFB) and the Organizing Committee of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, please visit www.dfb-kulturstiftung.de.
For specific information on the host cities’ cultural programmes during the World Cup, please visit the cities’ individual Web sites.
For general information on Germany and for a copy of the recently published FIFA World Cup pocket guide "A Time to Make Friends", containing basic information on the host cities and their matches, please contact the German National Tourist Office’s toll free number, 1-877-315-6237, send an e-mail to gntonyc@d-z-t.com, or visit GNTO’s Web site www.cometogermany.com.
