11.12.2009: "Meeting Place in History" - time travel completed

The city of Mainz, the state government and the universities take stock

During Science Year 2009, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research named the university city of Mainz as one of ten "Meeting Places of Science" within the "Research Expedition Germany" initiative. The historical sciences formed the focus of the extensive program of events in Mainz under the title, "Time Travel." The numerous attractive events and activities allowed residents to embark on their own research expeditions.

According to Mayor Jens Beutel, "Mainz, as a 'Meeting Place of Science,' has definitely provided an exciting contribution to promoting an awareness of history, in particular among children and young people." Beutel thanked the Federal Ministry for Education and Research and the Ministry for Education, Science, Youth, and Culture of Rhineland-Palatinate as initiators, as well as the Robert Bosch Foundation, for supporting the project. "This project has allowed Mainz another chance to show it is a nationally significant science city. This provides an excellent starting point for our application to win the title of "City of Science 2011" on which we are currently working," confirmed the Mayor.

Michael Ebling, State Secretary for Science, said that, "In the last few months, the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate has successfully put substance and life into the appointment as a 'Meeting Place of Science', largely through the involvement of more than 30 scientific institutions. This satisfying outcome is also a result of the particular importance education and science have in state policy matters. Considerable investments, sustainable measures or programs such as "Knowledge shapes the future" or the research initiative of the state contribute to making Mainz a powerful and internationally competitive location for doing science."

The Mainz research question for the "Meeting Place of Science - History" was, "How do people become a nation?" School children were able to analyze this research question in the "history" competition and discuss it with scientists. Children, young people and adults were invited to approx. 150 program events between February and December of 2009. It was a colorful and diverse "time travel" in the form of lecture series and panel discussions, presentations, guided tours, and exhibitions, as well as concerts, films and book presentations. It also included special events, such as the "Expedition Future" train at the main railway station, the Mainz Night at the Museum and the Mainz Cathedral's 1000-year anniversary. Professor Georg Krausch, spokesman of the MAINZ RESEARCH ALLIANCE, said that "800 visitors at the 'Night of the Profs' or the well attended council room at the 'special university in the city hall' showed that 'history' is a very popular subject in Mainz. This became particularly obvious in the middle of September at the Mainz Science Market held on Gutenberg Square, which was completely dedicated to 'time travel.' It had been organized as a MAINZ RESEARCH ALLIANCE market for the first time, yet attracted tens of thousands of visitors."

Mayor Jens Beutel said that, "We - meaning the Research Alliance, the city and the state - have warmed up together for the next challenge, the 'City of Science 2011.'' A board of trustees with high-caliber members and numerous work groups are already working to make our submission for the second round in March 2010 a success."