Nearly one hundred French and German school pupils came together at Europa-Park as part of two projects carried out in cooperation with the Académie de Strasbourg.

The ‘Fairy Tale Podcast’ project allowed the young people of the Collège in Kochersberg and the Stromberg Gymnasium secondary school in Vaihingen an der Enz to put forward an original and creative re-interpretation of fairy tales. Through the setting of new stories to music and the depiction of fantasy characters, not only could they further develop their digital and technical competencies, but also their independence, their capacity to cooperate and their mastery of their respective neighbours’ language.

The ‘Fairy Tale Songs’ project offered two classes from the Collège of Truchtersheim and the Falkenhausenschule in Kehl the opportunity to broaden their concepts of artistic and cultural education by acquiring a new repertoire of children’s songs in German and French, which the Alsace composer Nicolas Fischer had composed.

During the presentation of both these products at Europa-Park, the pupils could again sing the anthem of cross-border collaboration ‘Es lebe l’amitié, vive la Freundschaft’ (both meaning ‘Long live friendship’)

The ‘Grimm Magical Forest’ was then the setting of linguistic developments in French and German. Thanks to the educational work of the Académie de Strasbourg, the resulting podcast was completed there. The youngest participants could, in turn, listen to a fairy tale reading by Miriam Mack, chair of the European Fairy Tale Centre ‘Märchenland’.

Michael Mack emphasised the distinctiveness of this cross-border encounter, a true-to-life and joyful proof of European ambition.

Further information:
ORGA journée transfrontalière des contes 2024 – Digipad by La Digitale

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To accommodate French citizens living in Ortenau, the French Consulate General in Stuttgart has taken the initiative and set up a fifth polling station in Offenburg.

The French Honorary Consulate in Freiburg-Tübingen has been actively involved in organising and implementing the election. The polling station, located on the premises of Offenburg’s adult educational institution (VHS), was one of five venues in Baden-Wurttemburg (alongside Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Freiburg im Breisgau and Tubingen) to be integrated into the Stuttgart consular district.

Further information:
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/services-aux-francais/voter-a-l-etranger/resultats-des-elections/article/elections-europeennes-2024-resultats

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Every year, the discovery day invites businesses and institutions to get involved in the mobility between France and Germany of young people. Several secondary school classes for the hotel and restaurant industry in Guebwiller and Gérardmer were invited by the Honorary Consul to learn about the industry and professional opportunities in this area in the middle of Europa-Park.

School pupils studying for the French vocational qualification for the hotel industry and gastronomy could visualise the variety and scope of professions with representation at the Europa-Park resort.

The 4* theme hotels ‘Kronasar ─ The Museum Hotel’ and ‘Bell Rock’ were chosen as the venues for these encounters. A cycle of presentations, discussions between students and their teachers and, finally, a professional tour of the facilities took place there.

The Honorary Consul rejoiced in a day many new things could be learnt in. The discovery day ended with an afternoon at the theme park free of charge.

Further information:
https://www.ofaj.org/programmes-formations/journee-decouverte#1

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Being the only cross-border university prize in the Upper Rhine, the Prix Bartholdi is intended to deepen intercultural experiences of young people from this region between France, Germany and Switzerland and develop the internationalisation of university education in this three-nation metropolitan area.

In 2023, 4 prizes were awarded in this competition: the Prize for Best Work Experience Report, the Video Prize, the Bartholdi Stipend and the Embassy Prize

The honorary prize was awarded to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, represented by Mr Luc Gaillet.

Further information:
https://www.prixbartholdi.com/

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Michael Mack’s exequatur, with which he was awarded the title of Honorary Consul of France in Freiburg im Breisgau, was officially extended to a second term by Gaël de Maisonneuve, Consul General of France in Stuttgart.

As part of the network of 12 Honorary Consulates of France in Germany led by an honorary consul, Michael Mack’s office welcomes French citizens resident in the area of Freiburg im Breisgau and Tübingen, by appointment, to process their applications for renewing identity documents (identity cards and passports) and for other administrative concerns (life certificates, residence certificates, notarisation of copies corresponding to the original).

Moreover, the Honorary Consul regularly initiates a number of projects to stimulate and promote Franco-German friendship. All these tasks are carried out in close collaboration with the diplomatic and administrative department of France’s Consulates General in Stuttgart and Munich.

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As part of this project, carried out with support from the Académie de Strasbourg, around fifty German and French school pupils met at Europa-Park.

A technical rally, held at the Park, offered pupils from the Lycée Le Corbusier in Illkirch-Graffenstaden and the vocational school BBS Neustadt an der Weinstrasse the opportunity to work on the theme of ‘Architecture in Europe through the ages’ together. Through play, they could prove their technical and professional capabilities and make out a list of the park’s architectual features.

The objectives of this actions were meeting one another across borders, collaboration and immersing oneself in one’s neighbours’ language and culture, supported by the Honorary Consul and the Académie de Strasbourg.

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Initiated by Michael Mack to develop cross-border projects, the ‘RheinForum 182’ brought a group of decision makers together from France, Germany and Switzerland to discuss various current themes and political and economic developments in cross-border collaboration.

In his opening remarks, Michael Mack stressed what Franco-German relations meant in particular: ‘We are very happy that so many important decision makers from either side of the Rhine have accepted our invitation to Europa-Park. For decades, the Mack family has stood up for the European idea of collaboration around the tri-border area. For me, it’s important, above all, to better the future prospects and career opportunities of young people in the Upper Rhine region’.

In a variety of specialist presentation, participants addressed current topics, discussing the political and economic challenges of cross-border collaboration. They were in agreement, that the economic power of the tri-border area is an important factor of success in the region, based upon close, intensive exchange across borders.

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More than one hundred guests had come, invited by the Honorary Consul and the Mack family, to celebrate Alsace and spend a day full of colourful experiences in harmony with the neighbouring border region.

Michael Mack expressed it thus: ‘Alsace has long held a special place in Europa-Park and this festival, dedicated to Alsace, is a symbol of Franco-German friendship, which is now more important than ever’. Franck Leroy, President of the Grand-Est region, stressed: ’Alsace Day shows Europa-Park’s commitment to our region’s development; it’s an extraordinary opportunity for the image of Baden-Wurttemberg and Alsace abroad’. Pia Imbs, President of the Eurometropole of Strasbourg, added: ‘Today, Europa-Park is celebrating the richness of Alsace culture and its cultural and linguistic diversity, thereby showing its proximity and sense of belonging with this cosmopolitan region’.

As for newly chosen Miss Alsacefor 2023, Adéline Wetter, she explained: ‘I’m proud and touched I’m here for this day celebrating the friendship between both banks of the Rhine’.

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On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the binational consumer rights protection agency, based in Kehl, the event brought together all its French, German and European partners, recalling the importance and effectiveness of this institution.

The ECC was founded in 1993 as part of the newly created European internal market, with a mission to furnish European consumers with information, advice and assistance in cross-border disputes free of charge. In 2022, its team of over 50 trilingual employees ─ including 27 French and German lawyers ─ dealt with 42,000 requests and complaints. The guests who were present unanimously acknowledged the indispensable rôle and tasks undertaken by the ECC during this period and in numerous projects in the future. The launch of the digital border crossing tool, implemented amidst the COVID crisis to facilitate travel for residents and workers on the border between France, Germany and Switzerland, was also recalled.

Michael Mack used the opportunity to point out the importance and effectiveness of this tool to protect the European consumer.

Further information:
https://dgxy.link/

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More than a hundred French and German school pupils met at Europa-Park in the context of two projects carried out in collaboration with the Académie de Strasbourg, the catchment area of the University of Strasbourg.

The ‘Fairy Tale Podcast’ project allowed the young people of the Wasselone, Truchtersheim and Jacques Twinger secondary schools in Strasbourg, as well as the students of the Stromberg Gymnasium in Vaihingen an der Enz, to deal with the topic originally and creatively: they discovered the podcast format, devised new stories or introduced fantasy characters.

The ‘Fairy Tale Songs’ project offered two classes from the school at Griesheim-près-Molsheim and the secondary modern school in Neuried the opportunity to acquire a new repertoire of children’s songs in French and German, composed by the Alsace musician Nicolas Fischer.

Presenting both these projects at Europa-Park, the students had the opportunity to strike up and play the new anthem of cross-border collaboration: ‘Es lebe l’amitié, vive la Freundschaft’ (both meaning ‘Long live friendship’)

‘Grimm’s Magic Forest’ was then the stage for linguistic challenges and, finally, thanks to the educational work of the Académie de Strasbourg, the podcast was complete. The younger students participated in a fairy tale reading by Miriam Mack, the chair of the European fairy tale centre ‘Märchenland’.

Michael Mack underlined the originality of both these projects, which has doubtless helped the young people with the development of their linguistic and digital skills and to better their independence and ability to cooperate.

A meeting across borders for a cheerful, concrete implementation of European ambitions!

Further information:
https://dgxy.link/

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