Alumni at the botanika on august 17

At the invitation of our alumni Harald Mikulla (Director of the Association for Horticulture, Landscaping, and Sports Ground Construction of Lower Saxony and Bremen) and Armin Schlüter (Exhibition Manager of the botanika GmbH), about fifty alumni gathered at the facilities of the botanika Bremen amidst the rhododendron park on August 17, 2017.

After a warm welcome by Managing Director Petra Schäffer, the group of alumni was given background information on numbers, development, and future plans of the botanika. With these facts in mind, three smaller groups formed to visit the varied sections of the exhibition. Imitated Asian landscapes, for example, from Borneo, the Philippines, or the Himalayas, which were presented in large greenhouse worlds and gave fascinating insights into the culture and plant diversity of the Asian regions. After that, the groups visited the discovery center – where Armin Schlüter was able to give an exciting inside view into flora and fauna. Even a look behind the scenes was possible, demonstrating the sustainable and modern concept of the irrigation system of the botanika.

The highlight of the tour was the preview and preparation of the Peace Buddha statue. Ms. Schuchardt – responsible for PR and Marketing – showed us the intensive preliminary phases for the opening ceremony that was going to be held on the following day: The Peace Buddha statue for Europe will be in Bremen! Reason for it is the gift of the Dalai Lama, who would like to see peace across the world within the symbol of having a Peace Buddha statue on each continent. The Tibetan Buddhist ceremony is prepared by the monks present, who fill the hollow body of the statue with mantra scrolls, semi-precious stones, and dried herbs and blossoms.

Due to its regular events such as public talks, concerts, seminars, and many more, the botanika has become a popular venue.

Impressions of the educational work of the botanika’s ‘Green School’ and the multifaceted partnership with the university, with associations, and businesses in the botanika’s ‘Green Forum’, and the ensuing tour gave us an exclusive look behind the scenes. The traditional get-together with drinks and finger food was held in the special atmosphere of the park. The lively conversations of the alumni attested to the great interest and the fun of exchanging ideas and encountering others.