Today was the Farewell-Event for my next zis-Fundraising-Tour. Family, friends, sponsors, supporters, politicians and media representatives gathered at the Heidelberg city hall to send me symbolically on my next ride. Ruprecht Poensgen from zis, Dr. Luitgard Nipp-Stolzenburg representing Prof. Dr. Eckart Wuerzner, Lord Mayor of Heidelberg, as well as Maik Brandt, Mayor of Meckesheim, and Jürgen Lux, Partner at the international consultancy and long-term sponsor BearingPoint, said a few words about how they see this project and why they support it. Afterwards, there was the opportunity to chat and network over coffee and dinner. Very encouraging to feel all this goodwill and support.
About 30 years ago, two zis scholarships helped me to broaden my horizon, expand my understanding of what is possible, and develop more self-confidence. zis is a non-profit organization that has been awarding scholarships for study trips to young people between the ages of 16 and 20 for more than 60 years. Today, the word we use for tenacity and grit is resilience - and I've made it my profession, to help managers around the world to develop more of this inner power.
In retrospect, the experiences I've had on these trips to Scotland and Iceland have been priceless for my development. After having had a childhood with some challenges, I learned that I could cycle 1,700km on my own and get wet every day without despairing. I have learned that I was able to get along with only 300 € for 4 weeks and still had a good time. I have learned what it's like to be threatened with deportation and how to get an interview with the President from such a crisis. I have understood that limitations are primarily constructs in our heads, and I want to make these insights available to as many adolescents as possible.
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