Sustainability Week at the German Pavilion

With just a few days to go before the first World Cup game in Johannesburg, the German Pavilion team is getting ready for a kick around of its own. On 11 June 2010, staff from the South African Pavilion will test their shooting skills on a goal wall in front of “balancity”. The “WASH United” campaign is taking advantage of the buzz surrounding the World Cup to draw attention to the dangerous water and hygiene conditions in Africa. According to André Lammerding, Water Sector Expert with Germany’s GTZ organisation, “Every 20 seconds, a child dies due to the consequences of polluted drinking water and poor sanitation.” The aim of the “WASH United” project is to secure safe drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for all.

The Goal Wall that is currently being presented at the German Pavilion on behalf of the international campaign  „WASH United“ will become the focal point of a “small World Championship” tournament with EXPO’s Nation Pavilions on the occasion of the beginning of the real World Championship starting on June 11 in South Africa. Besides the German and the South African Pavilion, which will be represented by their respective Pavilion Directors, famous football nations like Brazil, France, Mexico, Argentina, Italy and Australia are also invited. The event starts at 12 am at the Goal Wall at the German Pavilion.

The Sustainability Week at the German Pavilion, which runs until 13 June 2010, is all about urban development projects from around the world and “WASH United“ is one of them. On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, GTZ will be presenting campaigns from Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Nepal, Romania, Syria and Yemen. Every day, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., guests from other countries’ pavilions, such as Yemen or Mongolia, will come to talk about urban development and cooperation with Germany. On balancity’s stage, visitors will write their ideas for the ideal city on cards, which will then be assembled to make a house of cards - a house made of wishes.

Soccerfans from all over the world at the German Pavilion © Yovohagrafie, German Pavilion

A house made of wishes © Yovohagrafie, German Pavilion

Football for water and hygiene © Yovohagrafie, German Pavilion