The competition has been organised for years by Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions with a view to raising awareness of the importance of German language and culture among secondary school students and to promote it.
- Debrecen and the University of Debrecen regularly host events related to the German language and culture, and the "Sprichst du Deutsch" competition has been a regular feature of these events since the beginning," said Marcell Grunda, Deputy Director of the Institute of German Studies at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen (DE BTK) in his opening speech.
The institution teaches the full range of German, and there are several companies of German interest in the region, thus knowledge of the language is important.
On behalf of Deutsche Telekom IT Solutions, Beáta Szoták, Director of the Telecommunications Division, welcomed the finalists and their teachers. She stressed the strategic importance of promoting the German language and all related events for Deutsche Telekom, as it helps to integrate those who speak the language well into its labour supply system, thus providing international career opportunities for them.
Eight secondary schools - Báthory István Catholic Primary School, Secondary School and Vocational School (Nyírbátor), Bessenyei György Secondary School and College (Kisvárda), Evangelical Kossuth Lajos Secondary School (Nyíregyháza), Vocational Training Centre Tokaji Ferenc Technical School, Secondary School and Vocational College (Szerencs) - participated in the final at the University of Debrecen, Szent Imre Catholic High School, Elementary School, College, Kindergarten and Elementary Art School (Nyíregyháza), Széchenyi István High School and Art High School (Szolnok), Tóth Árpád High School (Debrecen), Verseghy Ferenc High School (Szolnok) –w ere represented by ten students who could prove their skills by giving a 10-minute presentation on a topic of their choice each.
The participants were welcomed - for the first time in the history of the competition - by Krisztina Hodosiné Márton, Science, Environment and Agriculture Officer, on behalf of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Budapest.
In her speech, she underlined the close and long-standing historical relationship between the two countries, which continues to play an important role in the fields of education, culture and economic cooperation.
It is therefore no coincidence that the presentations covered a wide range of topics. Presentations were given on, among other things, the German cultural events in Rakamaz, the Erasmus programme, the differences between generations, the importance of reading and the benefits of multilingualism.
The first prize was awarded to Fruzsina Szeles, a student of Báthory István Catholic Primary School, Secondary School and Secondary Technical School in Nyírbátor (teacher: Nikoletta Városi) for her presentation on the position and role of women in science. The first prize winner received an iPad donated by the company.
The second place went to Ágnes Kohán, a student of the Bessenyei György High School and College in Kisvárda (teachers: Anikó Farkasné Poncsák and Judit Papikné Leskovics), the third place went to Réka Tünde Kondacs, a student of the Verseghy Ferenc High School in Szolnok (teacher: Edit Kiscsatári), while Balázs Kristóf, a student at the Bessenyei György High School and College in Kisvárda (teachers: Anikó Farkasné Poncsák and Ildikó Szabó), won a special prize.
Press Centre - BZs
