School students from Kerala visit German parliament, other landmarks

Seven-member group comprised winners of ‘Model Parliament’ held by Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum

Trivandrum / May 31, 2026

Thiruvananthapuram, May 31: A group of seven students from various schools in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi recently had an insightful learning experience of witnessing how German parliament Bundestag functions, besides visiting political and historic landmarks of the European nation.

The participants of the educational and cultural visit to Germany were winners of the first “Model German Parliament,” organized by German language and cultural centre Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum on September 20 and 21, 2025.

The seven students--Aalap Parte, Aditya Sundaresan, Ananthapadmanabhan Bilu, Akshay George Sam, Mehrin Khulsum, Vani Baiju and Zultan Nehan Moulana,--were chosen for the trip based on their performance in parliamentary simulations, debates, committee discussions and leadership activities.

The group was led by Vidya Subramanyam, German Faculty, Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum.

The group, now back home, travelled from Thiruvananthapuram to Germany on May 18. In Berlin they explored important historical and political landmarks of the German capital.

The highlight of the programme was a visit to the Bundestag in Berlin. The students met with Member of Parliament Ralph Brinkhaus and attended a live parliamentary session, gaining direct insight into the functioning of German democracy and parliamentary procedures. 

“I was extremely surprised to see someone at that position gave us his time and talked to us not only about hardcore politics but also about the Bundesliga and how the team from Koehl is his favorite. It was a breath of fresh air to get to see the more humane side of such people," Aditya noted.

“For a student of international politics like me, standing before the Berlin Wall and witnessing the city’s historic architecture in real life felt truly surreal”, said Mehrin.

The students also visited the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial, where they were taken through Germany’s history during the National Socialist period and the country’s continuing culture of remembrance and responsibility. The delegation also travelled to Frankfurt.

“Germany’s history can be read in books, but experiencing it directly, in real life, tells a completely different story,”said Vani.

The program also encouraged students to document their experiences through interviews, reflections, and media assignments. Throughout the journey, the students engaged themselves with themes such as democracy, historical responsibility, intercultural communication, and youth participation in society.

“Goethe-Zentrum is extremely elated that this group of students had a highly insightful learning experience of how the multi-party democracy in Germany functions,” said Dr Syed Ibrahim, Honorary Consul of Federal Republic of Germany for Kerala.

Through programmes like this, Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum continues to create international learning opportunities that encourage young people from Kerala to engage with global perspectives and active citizenship, Dr Ibrahim added.

The two-day Model Parliament was designed as a replica of the Bundestag, with the participants taking the roles of members of parliament, party leaders, and political decision-makers. They debated bills, discussed party platforms, and formed coalitions. The theme of the session was: “Germany’s Path Ahead: Balancing Refugee Protection and Migrant Integration. “

The session provided them with an experiential understanding of democratic systems and international cooperation while strengthening Indo-German educational and cultural exchange.

Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum is a German language and cultural center functioning under the Indo-German Language and Cultural Society (IGLCS). The institution promotes German language learning, intercultural dialogue, youth exchange, and educational collaboration through language courses, cultural programs, academic initiatives, and international partnerships.

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