By Julie McLaughlin
A Newcastle school had a special visitor on Friday to help encourage young people in their foreign language studies.
The German Ambassador to the UK, Miguel Berger, visited Shimna Integrated College to see the new building and meet the school’s German classes.
During his time at the school on Friday morning, Mr. Berger took a tour of the premises and participated in a school assembly. He also personally greeted many members of staff and students, spending time talking with them about their German connections and language learning experiences.
Mr. Berger’s visit was partly due to Shimna being the only school in Northern Ireland that is part of the PASCH-Schule programme.
PASCH, in English, stands for “Schools: Partners for the Future”. The programme was launched in 2008 by the German Federal Foreign Office. According to the PASCH website, “PASCH strengthens and creates a global network of more than 2,000 PASCH schools with particular ties to Germany.”
The initiative aims to spark and maintain young people’s interest in modern-day Germany, German society, and the German language.
During the school tour, Mr. Berger visited the language classes, where he conversed fluently with students studying German, French, and Spanish. He also stopped by an Irish class for a chat, showcasing his enthusiasm for language learning and cultural exchange.
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