The contest

In the year of the World Soccer Championship held in 2006 in our country, the “Germany – Land of Ideas“ initiative was intended to show the world that Germany is innovative and creative in many industries and a stronger and more cosmopolitan place. The Federal Government and the German economy supported the initiative along with Federal President Kohler. Many partners from business, culture, science and society actively support this concept.

365 places, one for each day of the year, are selected to bring the contest to life as the largest event line-up that there has ever been in Germany, since each place presents itself with an individual event to the public on every day of 2006. Places are not to be understood here in the geographical sense, but as birthplaces of ideas.

The selection criteria were

• Communicating the core message

• Attractiveness to people

• Surprising facts

• The ability to experience the idea

• Versatile program

• Significance for our country

 The participants

The participants in the contest were not only businesses of all sizes and industries with new developments or exemplary innovations. Special value was placed on the participation of all areas of our society in order to show the wealth and spectrum of ideas in our country:

• Private and public institutions

• Art, music and cultural establishments

• Research centers

• Universities

• Memorials and museums

• Social and civic projects

The response to this appeal was markedly positive; there were more than 1,200 applications at close of the registration for the panel to judge. The quality of the applications was high and the work of the jury, establishing 365 winners, was difficult.