Ask the headmaster of the Pascal Gymnasium in Münster, Germany, why he is so passionately devoted to student exchanges and he begins to reflect on the wonder of more than sixty years of continuous peace in western Europe – longer than ever before in history!
In 1959, as a young boy, he took part in the first post-war exchange between Germany and France. Now Heiner Lübbering heads a school named in honour of the French philosopher Blaise Pascal with links not just to its sister city Orléans but also to England, America and Australia. For the second time twenty students from Pascal, accompanied by their headmaster and English teacher Andrea Zierden, came to Canberra for a few weeks either side of Easter. Owing to the warm hospitality offered by CGGS families, they had a real introduction to Australian life and visited many tourist attractions in Canberra before spending a few days of relaxation in Sydney on the way home. Canberra Grammar School was also a participating school in 2008 and will join us at the end of this year for the return visit to Münster.
Miss Just welcomed the group at a presentation evening in the Gabriel Centre and emphasised the School’s commitment to a strong exchange program of language, music and sporting opportunities.
On 16 May 2007, the United Nations General Assembly, recognising that genuine multilingualism promotes unity in diversity and international understanding, proclaimed 2008 to be the International Year of Languages. UNESCO has invited governments, educational institutions, and all other stakeholders to increase their own activities to promote and protect all languages, particularly endangered languages, in all individual and collective contexts. CGGS is pleased to be a part of building international understanding, linguistic competence, and intercultural sensitivity, not to mention cognitive development!
Special thanks must go to Language teacher, Patricia Schiessl, for all her hard work in organising the exchange! Danke schön, Frau Schiessl!
