Anchors away and full steam ahead! A nautical start in Hamburg kicked off this year’s International German Olympiad (Internationalen Deutscholympiade, IDO), the biggest German language competition in the world.
In the best of the north German sunshine with stunning views of the Elbphilharmie concert hall and a maritime twist, 100 participants from 56 countries quickly got to know each other on a round trip cruise. Held from the 25th July to the 5th August, the very best German learners competed in various disciplines throughout the finals. Gold medals went to Buse Başak Kesimoğlu from Turkey, Zaruhi Kutaisyan from Armenia and Teodora Smîntancă-Strugariu from Romania.
While the participants initially sailed through smooth seas, things got tougher as the competition progressed. Not only knowledge of the language but also intercultural competence and team spirit were weighted in the assessment of the presentations. The IDO was accompanied by a varied and stimulating supporting programme. Alongside a visit to the Miniatur-Wunderland (a model railway and airport museum) and the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, learners could apply their newly acquired knowledge by singing along at a Tonbandgerät concert.
The IDO has been hosted biannually since 2008, each time at a different German city with a Goethe-Institut. Pupils are accompanied by German teachers from their home countries, who participate in training about pedagogical development as well as workshops detailing novel methods of teaching German as a foreign language. In 2024, the Olympiad will take place in Frankfurt am Main.
We would love to see you there!
