The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the development arm of the Eastern Cape Government, will launch its Eastern Cape from Above photographic exhibition at the Munich Airport in Germany today.

The exhibition, consisting of 40 aerial views of the province, will officially be opened by the South African Ambassador to Germany, Mr Eddie Funde and will be resident at the Munich Airport until 22 October.

The spectacular aerial photographs profile major attractions in the province including the Spandaukop volcanic hill in the Karoo, the breathtaking Hole-in-the-Wall on the Wild Coast and the Bathurst “Big Pineapple” in the Albany area. 

One photograph that will draw attention will be the aerial view of the 2010 World Cup Stadium in Port Elizabeth.  Currently under construction it should be completed in 2009 and will accommodate 45,000 spectators. 

ECDC specifically chose Germany for the launch of the exhibition because of the strong ties the province has to that country.  Over the past 12 years the international partnership between the Eastern Cape and the German State of Lower Saxony has seen successful cultural and sport exchanges, high-level technical and skills transfers as a result of the provincial VW Mechatronics engineering programme and co-operation in the field of rural tourism. 

The province also has a rich German cultural heritage.  Numerous villages and towns have been named after German cities – these include Berlin, Frankfort, Hanover and Hamburg.  The German Settler Monument on the East London Beachfront, unveiled in 1958, commemorates the landing of the first German Settlers in the province.

Josef Neumeier, acting manager of ECDC’s investment promotion unit says exhibiting in Germany also makes business sense.  “Germany is an important investment and business partner of the Eastern Cape because the province’s growing automotive sector.  We are home to Volkswagen in Port Elizabeth and Mercedes Benz in East London.  The East London Industrial Development Zone also houses a world-class automotive supplier park, currently manufacturing 11 of the components used in Mercedes Benz’ latest C-class”.  Aerial photos of these three sites have also been included in the exhibition.

The exhibition also hopes to attract German tourists who are known to enjoy eco-tourism holidays.  “The Eastern Cape’s scenic beauty is amongst its most popular features, followed by its year-round sunny climate, wildlife, heritage and tapestry of fascinating cultures,” says Neumeier.

The overall aim of the exhibition is to create awareness about the Eastern Cape and to highlight its untapped investment, trade and tourism potential.  It was piloted in Lueneburg, Germany, between 21 September and 6 October where it reportedly drew “tremendous public interest”.

Expected to attend the launch in Munich will be the South African Ambassador to Greece, and former Deputy-Speaker of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Mrs Mandisa Marasha, the Charge d Affairs for the South African Embassy to France, Mr Shoayb Casoo and a three-person delegation from the South African Embassy to Austria.  ECDC is in discussion with South African missions in Europe to explore the possibility of touring the exhibition to other cities.

Photographs feature in the exhibition are available from www.ecdc.co.za/fromabove