User:Germanyandindia/sandbox

THE INDO-GERMAN URBAN MELA

As India and Germany complete six decades of diplomatic relations, a project called Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities has been initiated and the programme is being held in India. The programme started in September 2011 and will end in February 2013. Considering that it is the Year of Germany in India, the Indo-German Urban Mela is the highlight of the project. It is a set of modern multi-purpose pavilions, which have been designed by noted German artist Markus Heinsdorff. The travelling pavilions have been built with metal, membrane and fabric that allow the natural light to draw attention to the attractive features of these pavilions. The events have been organised around the theme: StadtRaume – City Spaces with the focus on the issue of rapid urbanisation, its repercussions and the challenges that are attributed largely to urban-rural migration. The project has been divided into various genres like business, education, visual arts, science and technology and the main attention would be given to issues like mobility, energy, sustainable development, architecture, culture space, town planning and education. The Urban Mela will start its tour from Mumbai, and then will travel to Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Pune and the event will take place for 10 days each in all these cities. At the 10 day Urban Mela that will take place in the centre of the cities, one has a lot of options to choose from for their fun and enjoyment. Ranging from cultural programmes to conferences, the visitors have an opportunity to relish the typical German cuisine. The project is being initiated by the following partners: The German Federal Foreign Office, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Goethe-Institut. The project is managed by the Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi. The corporate partners of the project include companies such as Bajaj Allianz, BASF, Bosch, Deutsche Bank and Siemens. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has partnered with Indo-German Urban Mela, the Indo-German bilateral festival in order to offer pan-India support to the event. The project is being promoted not only through print, but a few interactive contests and workshops are being conducted online and at the event, especially ‘What’s Your German Connect?’, a contest that is aimed to encourage young urban Indians from various domains to reflect on and share their Germany-India connect, that is running on social media platforms.