The Voltaire Program is an exchange program between France and Germany, set up in 1998 for teenagers at the end of secondary school and beginning of high school. The program runs from March to August. Firstly, the French students go to Germany for six months, before hosting their German counterpart in France for the same amount of time. The objective of the exchange program is to deepen the language and cultural knowledge of both countries.

The Franco-German Office for Youth (OFAJ/DFJW) and the French Center of Berlin launched the call for participants for video contest three months ago, aiming to draw on the experience of participants of the Voltaire Program. Each partnership established during the exchange year was encouraged to create talking about different topics: Our Voltaire Exchange, Europe and Us, French and German Expressions, and Cultural Misunderstandings and Food.

There were three winners of the competition. Zoe and Hannah presented an interactive top 6 of French and German expressions through drawings. Naomie and Ulrike shared humorous pictures and videos they made during their exchange year by using letters to form the name Voltaire in the end. Finally, Kira and Laundine presented their recipe of Croque-Curry, a mix between the French Croque-Monsieur and the German Currywurst.

The first group received tickets for a trip to Paris, the second two concert tickets and the third, a discount for FNAC, a French book, music and movie shop.

All videos of all participants are published on the OFAJ’s YouTube channel and on the OFAJ’s website.

• References: http://www.ofaj.org/programme-voltaire
• References: http://centre-francais.de/concours-video-programme-voltaire/
• References: http://www.ofaj.org/les-laureats-du-concours-video-voltaire-devoiles

News from Berlin
Louise Chancelier, Berlin Global