June 2011 | Frankfurt
German national football player Lira Bajramaj becomes telc Ambassador for Integration and Multilingualism
When asked about her plans for the future, German national football player of Kosovar heritage Fatmire Bajramaj, known as “Lira”, talks about starting a family. Her future husband “should have beautiful eyes and be honest and reliable”. And she knows exactly what she wants to provide for her children: “Multilingualism and a good education. I’ll encourage them to learn, learn, learn – but also play, play, play.”
The player’s plans for raising her future children are quoted in the latest poster for the telc “Ambassadors for Integration and Multilingualism” campaign together with an unusual photograph: she is shown in an elegant evening gown and high-heels standing in front of a goal post. The poster was produced by telc GmbH, a not-for-profit organisation based in Frankfurt. As a subsidiary of the German Adult Education Association (DVV), telc provides examinations for twenty countries in ten different languages.
Through a series of eye-catching posters in numerous German education institutions, telc – language tests encourage migrants to learn the German language as a prerequisite for successful integration. At the same time, native citizens are being motivated toward multilingualism. In order to achieve these goals, telc have already enlisted the support of Ioannis Ikonomou (translator for the European Commission who speaks 32 foreign languages), Prof. Rita Süssmuth (president of the German Adult Education Association and former president of the German Bundestag), Cacau (player for the German national football team), Petra Roth (mayor of Frankfurt am Main) and successful amateur boxer and PhD student Olivia Luczak.
telc Managing Director Jürgen Keicher is pleased to explain the success of the posters: “Many people are looking for authentic role models with an extraordinary life story.” As a professional footballer and world champion who started out as a child refugee, Lira Bajramaj undoubtedly fits the bill.
The poster featuring Ms Bajramaj will be on display in every Adult Education Centre in Germany in the near future, as well as many other educational establishments and political, sport and social representatives. Copies of the poster can also be requested via email.