Dear Readers,

It’s that time of the year again: whereas spring has finally arrived in Germany (the first of May is traditionally the time during which “the trees turn green again” according to folklore), autumn is engulfing Southern Africa. In our region, many take the opportunity to spend time with their family and look back over the last few months as we approach winter.
 
Enlarge image Director of the GIC Mr. Friedrich Schröder (© GIC Africa) For the GIC, it’s time to look back as well. The German-South African Year of Science was successfully launched in Cape Town a few weeks ago by the German and South African ministers of science. Events connected to the Year of Science will continue throughout the year and up until April 2013. Keep your eyes on our website for special events and also visit www.germansouthafrican-scienceyear.co.za.

We are also looking ahead, of course. You will have likely noticed many stories supplied by local freelancers on our site. We will build on this in the following months, drawing on local expertise and talent from all over sub-Saharan Africa.
Sports, and especially football, will be one of the hot issues in the next few months as the UEFA European Championship in Poland and Ukraine will start shortly. The Summer Olympics in London also will be very much in focus as many African athletes are expected to earn medals there.

We are also moving ahead in our Web 2.0 efforts. Our FB page www.facebook.com/GICPretoria is now well beyond the 10,000 “likes” threshold. We will soon start a photo competition together with the Goethe-Institute Johannesburg on “My Favourite German Word in Pictures”. Take part and win an intensive German language course at any of the eleven Goethe Institutes or Goethe Zentrums in the region, as well as other prizes. And, don’t forget to recommend our site to your friends all over the continent!

Best regards,

Friedrich Schröder
and the entire GIC Team