Together for safety: Thousands celebrate at the day of action in Göttingen!

Together for safety: Thousands celebrate at the day of action in Göttingen!

On June 15, 2025, around 6,000 visitors met in the Jahnstadion in Göttingen for the “School, but safe!” action day. With bright sunshine lighting up the scene after a brief rain shower, the event offered a colorful range of activities for the whole family. The day not only offered numerous sporting attractions such as trampoline jumping and riding on hobby horses, but also valuable information about road safety. Mayor Onyeka Oshionwu was enthusiastic about the diverse sporting activities as well as the in-depth security issues that were discussed. Patron Andreas Philippi, Minister for Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Equality, was also on site and supported the commitment to road safety.

A huge highlight was without a doubt the children's police. At their stand, the little guests were able to try out police hats and even sit in a police car. The police also gave the children a pedestrian driving license and explained them about the dangers of road traffic, which underlined the importance of road safety in the young participants' everyday lives. These activities met with great interest, particularly among families, including six-year-old Valentina, who is looking forward to starting school for the first time.

Diverse stage program and volunteer work

Another highlight of the day was the stage program, which included dance groups and a fashion show by the fire department. The Göttingen Karate Academy impressed with an impressive demonstration, and the rescue four-legged friends from the Johanniter rescue dog team were also on site. These impressively presented how the dogs are trained and allowed the children to interact directly, which created many unforgettable moments.

The event was organized by the Göttingen Volunteer Agency, supported by around 50 volunteers who took care of setting up and dismantling as well as looking after the various stations. Anyone interested in taking part in such an event can contact Timo by email at bess@ssb-goettingen.de. Anyone who would like a helper shirt and a small allowance is welcome to get in touch!

Safety in focus

The importance of road safety was a central theme of the event. According to a current report, over 27,000 road traffic accidents involving children under 15 were recorded in Germany in 2023. Although this number has been halved compared to the 1990s, there has been a slight increase, which highlights the need for initiatives such as the “School, but Safe!” day of action. clarified. The “School Route Champions” initiative, which was launched in 2024, aims to teach children how to use road traffic safely. A corresponding learning booklet with playful content is already used in schools and will also be used in Göttingen.

The great commitment of the Göttingen police and other partners such as the city sports association and the ACV Automobil-Club Verkehr ensures that children can get to school safely today. The free traffic guide for primary school children, which is also available in various languages, not only offers teaching material for school classes, but also increases parents' awareness of traffic rules.

An outlook for next year is already given: The new edition of the “School, but safe!” action day. is firmly planned. It will be interesting to see what new ideas and attractions the organizers will develop.

For further details and information about the event, the following links can be visited: Göttingen Tageblatt, Göttingen Volunteer Agency, and Press portal.