Günter Titsch celebrates his 70th birthday
INTERKULTUR congratulates its founder and president
Today is not only a special day for Günter Titsch but also for INTERKULTUR: Titsch's idea to establish ties to all parts of the world by means of choral music and to unite people peacefully with the aid of music marks the beginning of a unique and global success story.
1988 was the year everything started. Günter Titsch, a passionate choir singer and resident of "Germany's Singing City" Pohlheim near Gießen, initiated the first International Choir Competition in Budapest – an idea which soon assumed global dimensions. Until today Günter Titsch and his international team and partners have been organizing 159 competitions with app. 8.050 choirs and 353.300 singers from 100 countries worldwide.
Driven by the power of music and the ambition to push a peaceful cultural exchange, a choir competition with new dimensions came into existence: the CHOIR OLYMPICS. According to the example of the ancient Olympic Games this event series, which became later on known as the "World Choir Games", developed into the most ground breaking major event of choral music. Starting 2000 in Austria (Linz), different countries and cities benefitted from the international atmosphere of this unique cultural event until 2014: Korea (Busan), Germany (Bremen), China (Xiamen und Shaoxing), Austria (Graz), USA (Cincinnati) as well as Latvia (Riga). The 9th edition of the World Choir Games will take place this year in Sochi (Russia) and captivate thousands of singers, music lovers and choral experts.
The tireless commitment of Günter Titsch regarding the friendship between nations does not only enrich the international world of choral music but also numerous other fields of public life. He was awarded many distinctions, awards and honors for his commitment in the curatorship of the German sports aid foundation (Deutsche Sporthilfe) as well as in other national institutions and international choral associations. In 2006 he accepted the cultural award Europe (KULTURPREIS EUROPA), which was initiated by Hans-Dietrich Genscher. In 2009 he received as the first European the honorary citizenship by the South Chinese port Xiamen for his work regarding the international cultural exchange with China. In recognition of his merits as a cultural ambassador he was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by Federal President Joachim Gauck in 2012.
Thanks to his enthusiasm and his unfailing engagement Günter Titsch developed INTERKULTUR during its over 25 years of existence into the world's largest and leading organization in the field of international choral events. A lifetime achievement of truly worldwide dimensions!
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