NRW school competition for the European elections ends with grand award ceremony in the state parliament

The NRW school competition for the European elections, jointly organized by Mehr Demokratie and Democracy International, ended today in the Düsseldorf state parliament with a grand closing ceremony and award ceremony. State Parliament President André Kuper was the patron of the competition. Over 140 pupils from Hattingen, Oberhausen, Hagen and Duisburg took part in the event.

Achim Wölfel, NRW state director of Mehr Demokratie and project manager of the competition, commented: "Who better to inspire young people for our democracy than other young people? The participants in the school competition have proven this in an impressive way! This competition is a celebration of our democracy and will certainly be remembered by the participants for a long time to come.

3rd place went to Berufskolleg Hattingen, followed by Gymnasium Hohenlimburg in Hagen, which secured 2nd place. 1st place and therefore the main prize was won by Gesamtschule Duisburg Süd. The winning class can look forward to a trip to Brussels, where they will gain an insight into the work of European institutions.

The event was officially opened by Rainer Schmeltzer, Vice President of the state parliament, who emphasized the importance of such competitions for the promotion of young people. The school band from Duisburg Süd comprehensive school provided the musical backdrop. The submitted projects were assessed by a jury. The competition was evaluated and scientifically monitored by the NRW Science Campus.

In his moderation, Achim Wölfel emphasized the long-term impact of political education work in schools: "Once the fire for democracy has been lit, it doesn't go out so easily. That's why it's worth starting such projects with schoolchildren in particular".

The project was funded by the European Parliament and the Postcode Lottery.

+++ Further information:

• The NRW school competition on the website: https://nrw.mehr-demokratie.de/nrw-aktionen/nrw-schulwettbewerb-zur-europawahl
• Photos on Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBJhaT
• Photos on the website of the Landtag (available soon): https://www.landtag.nrw.de/home/mediathek/bildarchiv-1.html