Reception at the City Hall (16-01-04)

The beat of the African drum, and the sounds of a proud people echoed through the corridors of Tübingen's City Hall. The South Africans had arrived!!!

We were at the City Hall to meet Tübingen's mayoress, Mrs Brigitte Russ-Scherer. She is one of the few female mayors in the country.Unfortunately, she was unavailable on the day, but we were fortunate enough to meet Tübingen's Cultural Mayor, Mr Gerd Weimer.

Mayor Weimer gave us a short talk on Tübingen and some of its unique features. It was very interesting to learn that Tübingen was voted as the city with the highest standards of living in Germany. As a visitor to this city, it's not difficult to see why it's so highly ranked. The city has an untouched, old world beauty that's rarely seen in many parts of the world. It encompasses both old and new, and its diversity can be seen in its people. Students and visitors from all over the world can be found here, adding to the city's richness and cultural heritage.

After Mayor Weimer's talk, we showed him some South African spirit and pride. We sang three songs, namely our national anthem, then Thula Mama and Shosholoza. Some members of the group also performed a short dance, which was met with much enthusiasm by the mayor.

The dancing and singing was followed by pretzels and refreshments. This gave us the opportunity to talk to the mayor, and to later stand on the magnificent balcony overlooking the town square.

The beauty and efficieny of any city has to be ensured by good management
and planning. The city of Tübingen exudes allure and charisma, and thanks to an effective town council, it continues to remain this way. Thank you very much to the mayor for inviting us, and opening up his wonderful city to us. It has been an amazing journey. To Barbara, Marion, Stephan, and all the sponsors, thank you for all your hard work. You have made this trip truly unforgettable!

Report by Yashini Padayachee (Border Technikon)