Student exchange in Italy: an unforgettable adventure for Halver!

Student exchange in Italy: an unforgettable adventure for Halver!

From 1st to May 9, 2025, 15 students from the AFG Halver came up with as part of a student exchange in Italy. They were accompanied by the teachers Anna Brune, Ricarda Kuhlmann and the headmaster Paul Meurer. The goal of the trip was to meet the Blaise Pascal partner school in Giaveno. After arriving at Porta Nuova station in Turin, the German guests were warmly welcomed by their host families.

The exchange students spent the first evening with excursions to Rivoli, a stroll through the city in Turin and a joint pizza meal. These first experiences laid the foundation for a varied week full of activities and cultural discoveries.

diverse activities in the exchange program

The program highlights were diverse and offered the students a rich range of experiences. On the first Friday they visited the impressive Sacra di San Michele monastery facility and took a hike around the lakes of Avigliana. On Saturday there was a trip to the Venaria Real residence, followed by an exploration of downtown Turin. At the end of the day there was ice or coffee on the river.

Sunday was reserved for individual excursions with the host families, which led to Milan and the Museum in Turin, among other things. On Monday, the students took part in the lessons in Gaveno, supported German lessons and also attended an ecologically operated pasta factory. Tuesday was dedicated to exploration of the Ligurian Sea, with the focus on the coastal town of Noli and Spotorno and a hike along the coast.

On Wednesday, a city tour through Turin was finally on the program, followed by a relaxing end in one of the many cafés. The last day was characterized by lessons and a farewell party that offered space for emotional farewell. The return trip on Friday ended with tears for many students.

future plans and sustainable exchange

The experiences of the exchange should not only remain once. Four Italian pupils will come to Halver as part of an individual exchange, while five students from the AFG Halver travel to Giaveno again in September. Paul Meurer described the exchange as the beginning of a promising cooperation between schools.

The Viavai office, which has been promoting German-Italian youth exchange for over ten years, supports such initiatives with a wide range of programs. Among other things, it offers student internships, holiday camps and information about further training opportunities to strengthen the dialogue between the nations. It pursues the goal of promoting understanding and cooperation in order to tackle challenges such as climate change, digitization and migration together. In this context, the German ambassador in Rome emphasizes the importance of dialogue between Germany and Italy.

The encounters, as they took place as part of the exchange, should help to consolidate European values ​​and give young people the opportunity to leave their own comfort zone and to discover new languages ​​and cultures.