World Championships‘ Organising Committee Presents berlin 2009™ – Cultural Programme

The World Championships' Organising Committee presented the cultural programme for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics berlin 2009™. Not only will the best track and field athletes in the world compete in the German capital from August 15-23, 2009, but Berliners and the city’s guests will also have an opportunity to enjoy a special cultural programme that will take place in celebration of this great occasion.

At the Academy of the Arts (Akademie der Künste) at the Brandenburg Gate, Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin and President of the World Championships' Organising Committee, presented the most important components of the cultural programme that will be accompanying berlin 2009™. The Federal Ministry of the Interior is supporting the cultural programme for the Championships with 2 million Euros.

The cultural programme will be comprised of three components: an open-air photo exhibition along the grand boulevard “Unter den Linden” and at Pariser Platz; the opening event around the Brandenburg Gate; and the KulturStadion® (Stadium of Culture) at Pariser Platz.

Klaus Wowereit made it clear: “Sports and culture reflect the diversity of the capital. From August 15-23, not only will we be able to enjoy fabulous athletic competitions, but also a diverse cultural programme at and around the Brandenburg Gate. During the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin will simply be “the place to be”.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior is supporting the cultural programme with contributions totalling 2 million Euros, the revenues from the sale of the commemorative 10-euro coins. Torsten Burmester, permanent representative for the Department of Sports in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, is looking forward to the cultural programme: “Here in the Federal Ministry of the Interior we are impressed with the concept of the berlin 2009™ cultural programme. We are convinced that all of the activities in and around the KulturStadion® at the Brandenburg Gate will captivate the spectators. Once more, it is made clear why Germany is such an excellent host for major international events.”

Together with the company “Kulturprojekte Berlin”, the World Championships' Organising Committee will be presenting a selection of the best photographs from 125 years of athletics as part of the cultural programme i an open-air exhibition. Starting on July 23, three weeks before the start of the Championships, everyone in Berlin will be able to take a look at the 60 selected photos on the boulevard “Unter den Linden”.

Thomas Friedrich, curator of Kulturprojekte Berlin: “The exhibition offers both a sampling of 125 years of athletics through a representative collection of high-quality photo compositions, but also a sampling of 125 years of photographic history through a collection of masterpieces in athletics photography.”

The large-scale motives in the open-air exhibition are printed and presented by Epson, the Official information technology Partner of berlin 2009™. The core of the cultural programme will be presented at the KulturStadion® at Pariser Platz. This temporary replica of the Berlin Olympic Stadium – including its blue track – will be home to a variety of cultural events throughout the entire Championships in Athletics to be jointly experienced and celebrated by the national and international guests of berlin 2009™.

Under the motto “The Body – The Art of Movement”, the nine-day KulturStadion® programme will interpret the athletic spirit of the World Championships in Athletics in an ambitious programme of events and exhibitions. The complex cultural diversity of the host city of Berlin will serve as a point of reference for the activities. The varied programme events were developed together with the Berlin cultural institutions and in cooperation with the embassies of the participating nations, as well as with the world athletics governing body, IAAF, and the German Athletics Association (DLV).

Eric Engelbracht, managing director of “interzentral” agency and project leader of the KulturStadion®, explains: “The KulturStadion® is an international meeting point, where culture and sports come together. Next to the Olympic Stadium as the sports venue, we are creating an inviting spot in the Berlin city centre, where a diverse programme will be offered every day for both young and old – and open and free to everyone.”

As a partner of the KulturStadion®, the state ballet company, Staatsballet Berlin, will bring the excitement for ballet to a large audience during the berlin 2009™ cultural programme. As part of the KulturStadion®, dancers from the Staatsballett will be presenting three programmes: DIFFERENT MINDS; a choreography created especially for the ENYA Album “And Winter Came”; and the educational programme “Tanz ist KLASSE!” (Dance is Great!) on the stage of the KulturStadion®.

Dr. Christiane Theobald, acting theatre manager and production director of the Staatsballett Berlin: “As a partner of the KulturStadion®, the Staatsballett Berlin is looking forward to the opportunity to perform outside of the theatre to a wide audience. By bringing together athletics and ballet, a high-performance artistic sport, this is also an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience, for instance with regard to medical support for athletes.”

During the further course of the press conference, moderator Norbert Dobeleit, who will serve as moderator at the KulturStadion® during the Championships, welcomed Christoph Lang from the company “Berlin Partner”, who presented the berlin 2009™ advertising campaign that is to be put in motion before the Championships. In addition to running berlin 2009™ trailers featuring top athletes from Berlin André Niklaus and Robert Harting on national television stations, additional excitement for the World Championships is to be generated through radio ads on various Berlin stations, numerous Berlin BVG public transportation vehicles decorated in the berlin 2009™ design, and a large "18/1"-large-format poster campaign throughout Berlin and Brandenburg.

Christoph Lang, Head of Company Communications and PR for Berlin Partner, was delighted with the cooperation between the economic support from the state of Berlin and the World Championships Organising Committee, BOC: “Through our joint activities in preparation of the World Championships, together we hope to draw attention to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics berlin 2009™ from both Berliners and tourist in the city, and we hope to welcome numerous visitors to the German capital in August.”