Today we celebrate!
Opening ceremony of the German-Czech Meeting Days in the gardens of the Brücke Most Foundation
Once again, this schoolyear started with the welcoming of the new students from the Czech Republic in the gardens of the Brücke Most Foundation - this year for the 19th time.
In glorious sunshine and the pictorial setting of Schillerplatz and Schillergarten on the river Elbe, the Meeting Days were opened by the director of studies Mr. Tobias Klein. The world-famous Blue Wonder Bridge is not only one of the city’s landmarks but also served as a fascinating and iconic background for this binational event.
Public figures and representatives of our school, first and foremost Mr. OstD Bernd Wenzel and program coordinator Dr. Thomas Krenek (interpreter) addressed the new seven-graders and their parents, for whom a new stage in life had just begun.
Starting one’s secondary school life in the binational-bilingual project is not at all marginal since being a student in this kind of education is the first step on the road to a future international career. Living and learning together promotes the development of well-rounded characters and offers best foundations for studying at international universities and for a prospective successful work in international research teams.
Mr. M. Böhme conveyed greetings from the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs together with best wishes for a successful start. He also invited everyone present to go on an imaginary boat tour from Usti to Dresden; a coherent image of the beginning of the joint education. He developed the image of a boat tour during which one could look at both sides of the river.
A nice mental image. Hence the students are going to learn to follow both cultures to reach common goals and to become aware of characteristics of their own cultural background. They will be able to live up to values like respect, confidence and tolerance and will develop qualities like independence, self-confidence, persistence, acceptance and social expertise - important cornerstones of working together. Looking at only one side during the boat tour may result in missing out on important attitudes that one day may turn into understanding.
Dr. Reinöhlova, consul general of the Czech Republic in Dresden, referred to the very good and successful cooperation with Schillergymnasium and emphasized the common language as an important prerequisite. Even if the students have to get around the first obstacles in language learning, it will be worth the effort. The excellent results of the graduating class from 2015/16 confirmed this fact. In his keynote address at the graduation ceremony, Dr. Juri Kudera, consul general of the Czech Republic, told the students: “You are a generation of students who we hope will advocate a better future cooperation between Germany and the Czech Republic and will therefore contribute to the establishment of a stable Europe.”
The goals are set. The new seven-graders have accepted the challenge. Language barriers that appeared during the first meetings were fast forgotten at the German-Czech cake buffet. Before that, Mr. Wenzel had presented tongue twisters showing how these obstacles can also be overcome in a humorous way. Using the metaphor of a common celebration he eventually found a cheerful transition to the traditional candy cone tree for the beginners and the eating of the cake; just a genuine common celebration.
Meanwhile, the first binational working days for our youngest Czech students have passed. Living together in the boarding house has been a challenge too but the first hurdles have been overcome, the first tears (of joy) have been cried. “A good start is half the battle”, Plato said.
Welcome to our school! We are looking forward to meeting you and learning with you. And we wish you lots of success!
A.K.