First German language fair

The education fair ‘Welcome to German’ was recently organised for the first time in Malta by the University’s department of German. The event, held over two days, took place at San Ġorġ Preca College’s Maria Assumpta Girls’ Secondary School, Ħamrun.

Over 1,000 secondary schoolchildren, together with their teachers, visited the fair on the first day.

Apart from visiting numerous company stands, such as those put up by Lufthansa, Playmobil, Bavarian Technology Systems and Prominent, as well as those by educational institutions, visitors were able to discover other aspects connected with the German language and German and Austrian culture by participating in an interactive treasure hunt and answering questions about these topics.

Exhibitions were held displaying projects by students of German in Maltese schools.

Visitors also had the opportunity to watch a film and try out interactive online games to learn German.

One of the main events was a music workshop by two members of the rap group Chaos Beat Symphony, who later performed for those present, and whose visit was made possible with the help of the Goethe Institute in Rome.

At the fair, one could sample several typical German foods, such as Bavarian sausages, Leberkäse and sauerkraut.

Three prize-giving ceremonies were held, during which prizes were distributed by German ambassador Bernd Braun, and there was also a live performance by a school band.

On the second day, after a welcome address by Ambassador Braun, Austrian Ambassador Caroline Gudenus, and Ray Camilleri, director of the Curriculum Management and eLearning Department, there was a panel discussion about whether Malta needs the German language.

Panelists included surgeon and Labour MP Anthony Zammit and former Maltese ambassador to Germany, Albert Friggieri.

Afterwards, 30 students from the German-Maltese Circle, who had successfully completed their studies, were awarded their Goethe Institute certificates.

The day also included a presentation about working abroad, delivered by Marvin Mizzi from the European organization, EURES.

A workshop was conducted by Roland Fischer of the universities of Vienna and Linz, who is an expert on methodology and didactics in the teaching of German as a foreign language.

At the end of the workshop, a flight ticket to Germany for two was drawn by lot among the participants.