A group of seven students from various schools in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi recently had an insightful learning experience of witnessing how the German parliament, the Bundestag, functions, besides visiting political and historic landmarks of the European nation.
Selection and Background
The seven students—Aalap Parte, Aditya Sundaresan, Ananthapadmanabhan Bilu, Akshay George Sam, Mehrin Khulsum, Vani Baiju, and Zultan Nehan Moulana—were chosen for the trip based on their outstanding performance in parliamentary simulations, debates, committee discussions, and leadership activities. They were the winners of the first ‘Model German Parliament’, organized by the German language and cultural centre Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum.
Leadership and Itinerary
The group was led by Vidya Subramanyam, German faculty member at Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum. The team traveled from Thiruvananthapuram to Germany on May 18. During their stay in Berlin, they explored important historical and political landmarks.
Highlights of the Visit
The highlight of the programme was a visit to the Bundestag in Berlin. The students attended a live parliamentary session, gaining direct insight into the functioning of German democracy and parliamentary procedures. The experience provided them with a deeper understanding of how legislative processes work in Germany.
