Latest news with #KaiWegner
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Berlin unveils Olympic bid with centenary of Nazi Games in sight
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner (far right) taking part in a press conference to announce Berlin's bid to host the Summer Olympics. PHOTO: EPA-EFE BERLIN - Berlin on May 27 presented its proposal to hold the Summer Olympics, including a bid for the Games in 2036 that would fall exactly a century after the event was hosted by Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime. 'No matter where they take place, the 2036 Games will bring the Nazi Olympic Games from 1936 back into focus,' Berlin's Mayor Kai Wegner said at the presentation. Hosting the 2036 Games would show 'a city which has changed in the past 100 years', Wegner said, during the event at the city's Olympic Stadium, built for the 1936 Games. 'No longer do we stand for exclusion and hate, but we instead are a colourful, diverse metropolis which is open to the world,' he said. Berlin joins Munich, hosts of the 1972 Olympics, Hamburg and a joint bid by cities in the heavily populated Rhine-Ruhr region vying to host the festival of sport. The hosts have until May 31 to submit their concepts to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), who will decide on a bid to be submitted to the International Olympic Committe (IOC) by autumn 2026. Berlin said it was also open to hosting the Games in 2040 or 2044, as well as 2036, without indicating a preference. The capital's proposal would see events held across the north and east of the country and at urban locations – mirroring the approach taken in Paris in 2024. Berlin officials said the beach volleyball would take place next to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate in the centre of the city. The skateboarding would be at the disused Tempelhof airport, already popular with casual skaters, while sailing events would be held on Germany's Baltic Sea coast in Kiel or Rostock. Previous bids in Germany have been undermined by local opposition. Munich, in an attempt to illustrate public support for the bid, have scheduled a referendum for October 2025. An initiative entitled 'NOlympia Berlin' has promised to push for a referendum on hosting the Games in the German capital. The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, with the Australian city of Brisbane hosting the Games four years later. According to the principle of rotating hosts between continents, a return to Europe is likely for the 2036 Games. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Berlin unveils Olympic bid with centenary of Nazi Games in sight
Berlin on Tuesday presented its proposal to hold the Summer Olympics, including a bid for the Games in 2036 that would fall exactly a century after the event was hosted by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Regime. "No matter where they take place, the 2036 Games will bring the Nazi Olympic Games from 1936 back into focus," Berlin's Mayor Kai Wegner said at the presentation. Hosting the 2036 Games would show "a city which has changed in the past 100 years", Wegner said in the event held at the city's Olympic Stadium, built for the 1936 Games. "No longer do we stand for exclusion and hate, but we instead are a colourful, diverse metropolis which is open to the world," he said. Berlin joins Munich, hosts of the 1972 Olympics, Hamburg and a joint bid by cities in the heavily populated Rhine-Ruhr region vying to host the festival of sport. The hosts have until Saturday to submit their concepts to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), who will decide on a bid to be submitted to the International Olympic Committe (IOC) by autumn 2026. Berlin said it was also open to hosting the Games in 2040 or 2044, as well as 2036, without indicating a preference. The capital's proposal would see events held across the north and east of the country and at urban locations -- mirroring the approach taken in Paris in 2024. Berlin officials said the beach volleyball would take place next to Berlin's Brandenburg Gate in the centre of the city. The skateboarding would be at the disused Tempelhof airport, already popular with casual skaters, while sailing events would be held on Germany's Baltic Sea coast in Kiel or Rostock. Previous bids in Germany have been undermined by local opposition. Munich, in an attempt to illustrate public support for the bid, have scheduled a referendum for October 2025. An initiative entitled 'NOlympia Berlin' has promised to push for a referendum on hosting the Games in the German capital. The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, with the Australian city of Brisbane hosting the Games four years later. According to the principle of rotating hosts between continents, a return to Europe is likely for the 2036 Games. dwi/lp
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Berlin plans Olympic beach volleyball at Brandenburg Gate if chosen
People stand in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Berlin would hold the Olympic beach volleyball next to the Brandenburg Gate if it is chosen as Germany's bidder for the 2036 or 2040 Games. Paul Zinken/dpa Berlin would hold the Olympic beach volleyball next to the Brandenburg Gate if it is chosen as Germany's bidder for the 2036 or 2040 Games. The plans were included in the city's official bid submission to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), which was made available on Tuesday. Advertisement "This is a huge opportunity. An opportunity for sport, an opportunity for Berlin, an opportunity for Germany," Berlin mayor Kai Wegner said at the city's Olympic Stadium, which was the centre point of the 1936 Games under Nazi rule. Berlin, bidding together with the German states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein as the conceptualized Berlin+, wants to host the Olympics exactly 100 years later to show how much the city has changed. In addition to Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia (with the Rhine and Ruhr region) also want to be Germany's bidder. The final decision on the German bid is to be made by the third quarter of 2026. The NOlympia Berlin initiative wants to prevent an Olympic Games in the capital and plans to force a referendum against the proposals.
Travel Daily News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Travel Daily News
Berlin announces first 'Berlin Freedom Week' in November 2025
First 'Berlin Freedom Week' will take place from November 8 -15, 2025. Patron is the Governing Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner. BERLIN – Berlin is organizing the 'Berlin Freedom Week' for the first time from November 8-15, 2025. As part of this new initiative, numerous events on the topics of freedom and democracy will take place across the city to mark the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Conference formats, cultural events, workshops and interactive offers for all generations are planned, aimed at German and international guests as well as Berliners. Organizations and institutions are invited to participate with their own events. The Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner said: 'Berlin is the city of freedom – and therefore the right place for the first 'Berlin Freedom Week'. In view of the war in Europe, the global crises and challenges, we must do everything we can to secure and strengthen democracy and defend people's freedom wherever it is threatened. The exchange at the conferences and events of Berlin Freedom Week is of the utmost importance – for us and for all those who stand up for freedom, the rule of law and our democratic values.' Burkhard Kieker, Managing Director of visitBerlin commented: 'With the Berlin Freedom Week, the capital is creating a new platform for global exchange on freedom, democratic values and human rights. In future, it will take place every year around November 9. The German capital will once again show why it is regarded worldwide as a symbol of freedom and democracy. No other city would be better suited than Berlin to celebrate freedom and give a stage to committed voices from all over the world who stand up for freedom, democracy and human rights.' Patron is Mayor Kai Wegner. The initiators of the Week include visitBerlin, the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, the World Liberty Congress, the Berlin Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship and the Robert Havemann Society. 'Berlin Freedom Conference' on November 10 A highlight of the week of events on November 10. Leading players from national and international politics, civil society, business, culture and the media will come together to forge new alliances for the defense of freedom and democracy and to promote democratic change in unfree societies worldwide. The conference is organized by visitBerlin in cooperation with the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation and the World Liberty Congress and funded by the Lotto Foundation Berlin. 'World Liberty Congress': United dissidents from around the world meet in Berlin More than 200 freedom fighters and pro-democracy leaders from more than 50 authoritarian countries around the world are traveling to the city for the II General Assembly of the World Liberty Congress to discuss the issues of democratic change in their countries of origin. The World Liberty Congress is the largest global alliance of pro-democracy leaders. For them, the fall of the Berlin Wall is a symbol of hope. That is why they have chosen Berlin as the city for their General Assembly. This underlines the symbolic importance of Berlin as a city of freedom and a place for democracy and human rights. Leopoldo López, leading member of the opposition movement in Venezuela and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress: 'The Berlin Wall once stood as a stark line between tyranny and freedom – its fall was a triumph of courage over oppression. But today, new Berlin Walls still rise in the form of authoritarian regimes that silence, imprison, and kill those who dare to dissent. As brave freedom fighters continue their struggle around the world, Berlin reminds us that no wall is too high, no regime too strong, to be brought down. That's why the World Liberty Congress is bringing together dissidents and democracy leaders from across the globe for Berlin Freedom Week – to unite, learn from one another, and strengthen the global fight for freedom.' Antje Schippmann, Managing Director of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation says: 'Freedom is on the retreat worldwide. Authoritarian regimes, from Moscow to Caracas, support each other militarily, technologically and politically. This makes it all the more important for democratic forces around the world to work together more closely. As the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, we are continuing to work together with the city of Berlin to achieve this. Berlin Freedom Week creates new spaces for encounters, ideas and networks. It connects courageous dissidents who fight for democracy in dictatorships with international decision-makers from politics, business, defense and technology and a broad public.'
National Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Berlin wants to host Olympics as 100th anniversary of 1936 Games looms
Berlin is making a bid to host the Olympics again, possibly 100 years after the city hosted the 1936 Games under the Nazis. Article content Article content Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner is to present bid plans, with help from four other German states, on Tuesday at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. Article content The invitation sent on Friday to the presentation does not mention which Games the city is bidding for, but the next available edition will be in 2036 — the 100th anniversary of the Berlin Games. The German Olympic Sports Confederation has said a German bid for the 2040 Games is also possible. Article content Los Angeles is hosting the 2028 Olympics and Brisbane the 2032 Olympics. Article content The states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Schleswig-Holstein would also host competitions as part of Berlin's bid. Article content Berlin's Olympic Stadium, known as Olympiastadion in German, was built for the 1936 Games. Adolf Hitler was personally involved in the design and construction of the 100,000-seat track-and-field stadium after the Nazis assumed power in 1933, two years after the Games were awarded to the city. Article content Hitler was initially unenthused by the idea of hosting the Games, but he changed his mind after being convinced of their potential for propaganda. He invited Leni Riefenstahl to film the event and she used the material for her film 'Olympia.' Article content Olympiastadion is still in use and hosted soccer's European Championship final between Spain and England last year. Hertha Berlin plays its home games there, and on Saturday it will host the German Cup final between Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld.
