Language Competition - Adolescents measure themselves at the International German Olympiad
The International German Olympiad has begun in Goettingen. For a week, 107 youths from 62 countries will compete in various language competitions, as the organizers announced. It is therefore the largest global competition for the German language. The event was opened with the performance of a youth band.
Millions of students were invited worldwide to participate in the competition and qualify for the final in Goettingen through national preliminaries. Participants between 14 and 17 years old reportedly compete in individual and group tasks such as presentations, which take place at the Museum Forum Wissen. They come from Brazil, Uzbekistan, Ghana, Iran, or Japan and are among the best German language learners worldwide, as stated.
Program for Participants and Teachers
In parallel, there will be training for the 60 accompanying teachers, as well as workshops and a cultural and leisure program. In addition, visits to companies were scheduled at laboratory supplier Sartorius, prosthetics manufacturer Ottobock, the German Aerospace Center, and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research.
The competition takes place every two years at changing locations in Germany and is organized by the Goethe-Institut in cooperation with the International German Teachers' Association. The goal is to foster international youth and inspire a passion for the language, as well as provide access to German culture, education, and civil society. In addition, the competition aims to strengthen tolerance among participants.
"Exchange promotes the learning of the German language; it also fosters openness towards others and mutual understanding. Friendships are often formed at the IDO that last for years," said Johannes Ebert, General Secretary of the Goethe-Institut.
During the competition, the youth participants from Lower Saxony also showcased their language skills, contributing to the diversity of talents. The winning teams in various language categories will receive prestigious awards at the annual gala event in Göttingen.
