6/22/10

Germany Pavilion welcomes millionth visitor

Visitors to the Germany Pavilion have surpassed a million and the lucky millionth visitor was awarded yesterday a pavilion pin, travel guide to Germany, a "Balancity" mug, and a restaurant meal for the family.

The pavilion receives around 25,000 visitors daily, and the interactive sphere weighing more than one ton at the "Energy Source" room is the most popular exhibit, which can be activated by the shouts of spectators. The room can accommodate 600 visitors.

The Energy Source is a bubbling witch's cauldron, said Pavilion Director Urte Fechter yesterday. She said it's wonderful to see the exhibit, which takes more than two years to complete, meeting with "such a resounding response."

Many visitors spent more than an hour at the pavilion, learning about how Germany improves the water quality of the Spree River and the country's urban renewal programs. They were also amazed by an innovative and flexible car-sharing model, "Stolpersteine" (stumbling blocks) by artist Gunter Demnig, Ruhr 2010 European Capital of Culture program, and gardens in the country.

"We want people to experience and discover new things and to realize how important it is to find a balance in every city between renewal and preservation, green and urban spaces, room for individual needs and for the urban community," said Peter Kreutzberger, Vice Commissioner General of Germany.

King Karl Gustaf of Sweden, German architects Meinhard von Gerkan and Ole Scheren, Olympic champion fencer Britta Heidemann and actress Maggie Cheung are some of the visitors to the pavilion.

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