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| After the unveiling of the sculpture "The Automobile": Jürgen R. Thumann, president of the National Federation of German Industry (BDI), Berlin's governing mayor Klaus Wowereit, Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, Zinedine Zidane, Sebastian Schweinsteiger, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Executive Chairman of AUDI AG, Ronaldo, Bavaria’s Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber, Vice Chancellor Franz Müntefering, Dr. Michael Rogowski und Otto Schily, both members of the advisory board |
2006/04/06
Presentation of the third sculpture of the “Walk of Ideas” in Berlin
“The Automobile” on Platz des 18. März
Berlin, 6th of April 2006 – With the unveiling of the ten by four-and-a-half metre high sculpture “The Automobile” on Platz des 18. März, close to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the third of altogether six sculptures in the “Walk of Ideas” was presented.
Berlin, 6th of April 2006 – With the unveiling of the ten by four-and-a-half metre high sculpture “The Automobile” on Platz des 18. März, close to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the third of altogether six sculptures in the “Walk of Ideas” was presented.
The sculpture symbolise the inventive spirit of engineers and creators in all areas of the German car industry.
Stephan Grühsem from AUDI AG, and Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, greeted the approximately 500 guests before the Labour Minister and Vice Chancellor Franz Müntefering and Bavaria’s Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber officially opened the event.
Afterwards the city’s governing mayor Klaus Wowereit made a welcome speech in the name of Berlin. He emphasised the diversity of ideas that the “Walk of Ideas” symbolises: “By means of this project, the initiative ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ proves the creative potential of the people of this country. I am pleased that it is now possible to follow the ‘Walk of Ideas’ in Berlin idea by idea.”
Jürgen R. Thumann, president of the National Federation of German Industry (BDI), and co-founder of the initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas”, pointed out: “The inventions represented in the ‘Walk of Ideas’ make one thing clear: as a ‘land of ideas’ we depend on the right mix of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. Through our involvement in this initiative, the domestic national industry wants to show our clear commitment to Germany.”
In his short address, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Executive Chairman of AUDI AG, explained why his company had decided to become a partner in the initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas”: “The initiative corresponds perfectly with our core branding ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’. Our commitment thus matches the aims of the initiative very well – because we develop and produce fascinating cars with a wealth of ideas and enthusiasm here in Germany.”
The ceremonial unveiling of the sculpture “The Automobile” was finally carried out by all of the participants, together with current and past football stars Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Andreas Görlitz as well as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Müller.
The sculpture will be on view on Brandenburg Gate until the 21st of May 2006. After that it will be displayed until the end of September 2006 in a prominent position in the Berlin-Mitte quarter.
The “Walk of Ideas”, once completed, will invite people to stroll through Germany´s history of invention and research. After the first three unveilings (“The Modern Football Shoe”, “Milestones of Medicine” and “The Automobile”) a further three sculptures will be unveiled up to the end of May: “Modern Book Printing”, “Masterpieces of Music” and finally “The Theory of Relativity”).
It is also German ideas that have made the production of the sculptures possible: they are all made from the innovative material Neopor®, developed by BASF AG, and are coated with a special metal lacquer by BASF Coatings.
More information about the “Walk of Ideas” can be found at www.land-of-ideas.org.
The initiators
“Germany – Land of Ideas” is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is co-ordinating the campaign. “Land of Ideas” is supported by numerous German companies and cooperation partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the “Walk of Ideas” sculpture park, the “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” series of events, the “FanClub”, the International Media Service and the Welcome Project.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Background information on “Walk of Ideas”
Facts and figures on the sculpture “The Automobile”
Location: Brandenburg Gate, 10117 Berlin
Dimensions: Length: 10.2 metres, Height: 3.25 metres, Width: 4.5 metres, Weight: approx. 10 tons
Participating companies
Customer: FC Deutschland GmbH, “Germany – Land of Ideas”
Concept and Design: AUDI AG
Material Development: BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
Paint Development: BASF Coatings, Münster
Production: EDAG Engineering + Design AG, Fulda
Materials used / Material consumption
The sculpture consists of 16 hollow segments, 1,000 square metres fibreglass laminate and approximately 120 cubic metres Neopor®, a further development of Styropor® into the insulating material of the future, developed by BASF in Ludwigshafen. The material is coated with a newly developed metal lacquer (approx. 150 square-metres outer layer surface), which was developed by BASF Coatings in Münster.
Manufacturing process
The sculptures are produced in a purely industrial process and basically consist of a new kind of plastic mixture, Neopor®. The bodies of the sculpture are laminated with fibreglass in the same way as a surfboard and then coated with a plastic paste. After being finally moulded each sculpture is triple-coated with a metal lacquer.
Contact:
Steffi Würzig
Public Relations Coordinator Germany
Deutschland - Land der Ideen
FC Deutschland GmbH
Unter den Linden 74
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)-30-206-459-46
Fax: +49 (0)-30-206-459-37
wuerzig@land-der-ideen.de
www.land-of-ideas.org
Stephan Grühsem from AUDI AG, and Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, greeted the approximately 500 guests before the Labour Minister and Vice Chancellor Franz Müntefering and Bavaria’s Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber officially opened the event.
Afterwards the city’s governing mayor Klaus Wowereit made a welcome speech in the name of Berlin. He emphasised the diversity of ideas that the “Walk of Ideas” symbolises: “By means of this project, the initiative ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ proves the creative potential of the people of this country. I am pleased that it is now possible to follow the ‘Walk of Ideas’ in Berlin idea by idea.”
Jürgen R. Thumann, president of the National Federation of German Industry (BDI), and co-founder of the initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas”, pointed out: “The inventions represented in the ‘Walk of Ideas’ make one thing clear: as a ‘land of ideas’ we depend on the right mix of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. Through our involvement in this initiative, the domestic national industry wants to show our clear commitment to Germany.”
In his short address, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Executive Chairman of AUDI AG, explained why his company had decided to become a partner in the initiative “Germany – Land of Ideas”: “The initiative corresponds perfectly with our core branding ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’. Our commitment thus matches the aims of the initiative very well – because we develop and produce fascinating cars with a wealth of ideas and enthusiasm here in Germany.”
The ceremonial unveiling of the sculpture “The Automobile” was finally carried out by all of the participants, together with current and past football stars Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Andreas Görlitz as well as Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Müller.
The sculpture will be on view on Brandenburg Gate until the 21st of May 2006. After that it will be displayed until the end of September 2006 in a prominent position in the Berlin-Mitte quarter.
The “Walk of Ideas”, once completed, will invite people to stroll through Germany´s history of invention and research. After the first three unveilings (“The Modern Football Shoe”, “Milestones of Medicine” and “The Automobile”) a further three sculptures will be unveiled up to the end of May: “Modern Book Printing”, “Masterpieces of Music” and finally “The Theory of Relativity”).
It is also German ideas that have made the production of the sculptures possible: they are all made from the innovative material Neopor®, developed by BASF AG, and are coated with a special metal lacquer by BASF Coatings.
More information about the “Walk of Ideas” can be found at www.land-of-ideas.org.
The initiators
“Germany – Land of Ideas” is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is co-ordinating the campaign. “Land of Ideas” is supported by numerous German companies and cooperation partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the “Walk of Ideas” sculpture park, the “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” series of events, the “FanClub”, the International Media Service and the Welcome Project.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Background information on “Walk of Ideas”
Facts and figures on the sculpture “The Automobile”
Location: Brandenburg Gate, 10117 Berlin
Dimensions: Length: 10.2 metres, Height: 3.25 metres, Width: 4.5 metres, Weight: approx. 10 tons
Participating companies
Customer: FC Deutschland GmbH, “Germany – Land of Ideas”
Concept and Design: AUDI AG
Material Development: BASF AG, Ludwigshafen
Paint Development: BASF Coatings, Münster
Production: EDAG Engineering + Design AG, Fulda
Materials used / Material consumption
The sculpture consists of 16 hollow segments, 1,000 square metres fibreglass laminate and approximately 120 cubic metres Neopor®, a further development of Styropor® into the insulating material of the future, developed by BASF in Ludwigshafen. The material is coated with a newly developed metal lacquer (approx. 150 square-metres outer layer surface), which was developed by BASF Coatings in Münster.
Manufacturing process
The sculptures are produced in a purely industrial process and basically consist of a new kind of plastic mixture, Neopor®. The bodies of the sculpture are laminated with fibreglass in the same way as a surfboard and then coated with a plastic paste. After being finally moulded each sculpture is triple-coated with a metal lacquer.
Contact:
Steffi Würzig
Public Relations Coordinator Germany
Deutschland - Land der Ideen
FC Deutschland GmbH
Unter den Linden 74
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)-30-206-459-46
Fax: +49 (0)-30-206-459-37
wuerzig@land-der-ideen.de
www.land-of-ideas.org
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