On Tuesday 30th August about 900 students came from different parts of Victoria to attend this year's Year 9 and 10 Student Forum. This year for the first time it was held right in the heart of the city at the Town Hall in Melbourne. We are very grateful to the City of Melbourne for their kind sponsorship of the event, and also to DE&T for additional funding.

| Activities | Student Reactions | Photos |

Christian Fröhlicher (SBS Radio) explained to students what German-language programs they can listen to, and at the end of the Forum students moved out of the Hall and over to Federation Square, where they tried their hand at newsreading at SBS's outdoor broadcast unit. They moved down Swanston Street wearing bright yellow »Deutsch? Ja! Ja! Ja!« sun visors, catching a bit of attention.

Students heard interesting descriptions from the following young adults about how continuing their learning of German has affected their lives.

• Paul Murphy (adult learner of German at the Goethe-Institut)
• Melissa Key (currently working at Siemens)
• Jessica Pye (training teacher)
• Mark Balla (who has used German in various ways through a variety of careers)

Students heard from secondary students from five schools in Geelong and Melbourne who returned from school exchange to the state of Hessen this year.

Molly, a Year 10 student from a rural school in the Wimmera Network, and Sam, a Year 10 student from a school in the Outer Eastern Network, were presented with this year's GI/AGTV Year 10 Awards. They'll be off to Berchtesgaden in Germany's Alps for a 3-week Goethe Institut course in January with other students from around the world. Jacinta, last year's winner, reported on her time in Germany.

Students watched a music video of the song »Kein Bock zu geh'n« by the eight-man rap band Clueso from Germany.

A new publication – »Bridging the World« - was launched, containing testaments from people throughout the world who have benefited from learning German.

A PowerPoint presentation highlighting the benefits and spin-offs from learning German was showing as students and teachers arrived at the Forum. This presentation can be downloaded from the Promotions page of the AGTV website.

Special guests at the Forum included: Mr Thomas Kessler (Consul General, Federal Republic of Germany); Ms Wendy Morris (Manager, LOTE, ESL and Multicultural Education Unit, Department of Education and Training) and Ms Liz Aird (Senior Project Officer in the LOTE, ESL and Multicultural Education Unit); Cr David Wilson (Chair of Culture & Community Committee, City of Melbourne); Ms Renate Elsaesser (Director, Goethe-Institut, Melbourne); Mr Christian Froelicher (ACT Executive Producer & PR Officer, German Language Group, SBS Radio Melbourne); Ms Catherine Gosling (President, Association of German Teachers of Victoria); Ms Marlene Dingle (LOTE Regional Project Officer, Loddon Campaspe Mallee Region).