2007/10/02

German Reunification Day in Germany and Abroad

Berlin/Schwerin/Washington, 01 Oct 2007 - Schwerin, the state capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, is kicking off its German Reunification Day festivities early, with a festival on 2nd October 2007. For the past 17 years, Germany’s sixteen states have taken turns at being the centre of festivities for the national holiday; this is the second time around for Schwerin.

The “Germany – Land of Ideas” nation-branding initiative will be part of the Reunification Day action for the third consecutive year, after having been on hand in Potsdam and Kiel at the previous two Reunification Day parties. It will present information about its activities at the festival on the Schwerin market square, including projects related to German Reunification Day. In 2005, a newly established “Germany – Land of Ideas” had inaugurated the “FanClub Germany” in Potsdam on 3rd October. The fan club now counts around 40,000 members, and has become a lastingly accepted institution. It will be hosting games and giveaways in Schwerin in 2007. The same applies for the “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” contest, which enters its third round in 2008. Under the heading “The best idea in the history of Eastern and Western Germany,” this year’s venue for the national festivities was honoured as a “Landmark in Land of Ideas 2007.” Schwerin’s mayor Norbert Claussen said, commenting on the significance of the holiday: “German Reunification Day is a time to look back and remember, to ask yourself what things were like before and where we stand today.”

The German ambassador to the United States will host a reception at his residence in Washington on German Reunification Day. Under the heading “Welcome to the Garden of Ideas” the “Germany – Land of Ideas” nation-branding initiative presented innovations in the renewable energy sector, in cooperation with the Invest in Germany location-marketing agency. Companies from the eastern German states will present groundbreaking inventions and technologies, with Federal Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, the German government’s delegate for the new German states, in attendance. Cargill Germany GmbH and Crop Energies AG will provide information about biofuels. Innovations in solar energy will be covered by Q-Cells AG, Solarworld, Odersun AG and First Solar. The BMW Group will present an example for sustainable mobility with its hydrogen vehicle product series.

“Germany – Land of Ideas” will also be roaming the streets of the U.S. capital for three months beginning on 3rd October. A metrobus bearing the initiative’s logo and décor will draw the attention of Washington’s residents to the Land of Ideas and invite them to enter a contest by submitting their reasons for liking Germany. The grand prize is a trip to Germany, including visits to places like Berlin and Dresden and a ride from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle in a hydrogen-powered BMW vehicle.

The ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ nation-branding initiative

‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ is a joint nation-branding initiative by Germany’s federal government and German business, represented by the Federation of German Industry (BDI). Germany’s Federal President Horst Köhler serves as the initiative’s patron. Its aim is to communicate a positive image of Germany at home and abroad, and to emphasise Germany’s strengths as a place for business. The core message of all activities mounted as part of the nation-branding initiative is “Germany leads through innovation”.