Your Song for EINE WELT - making of the winning songs in the recording studio

"Hello, my name is Azzddine Tkhili (Winning song Mostafa Acharki & Co. – Hand in hand)

"Hello, my name is Ouissal Essamdi"(Winning song Mostafa Acharki & Co. – Hand in Hand)

"Hello, I'm Simon, and I'm currently in the KMA studios in Berlin recording my song Puzzleteile." (Simon Degerowski - winning song "Puzzleteile")

"We are the school band of EDG Meiningen." (School band Meiningen winning song "Pegidamarsch")

"I was born as Ezekiel Nikiema, but my stage name name is Ezé Wendtoin. Boum!" (Ezé Wendtoin - winning song "Die Rampensau singt eine Welt")

"For one world, for one, I am happy to play the stage hog!" (Lyric line, Ezè Wendtoin winning song "Die Rampensau singt eine Welt")

"We are here in Berlin Kreuzberg, at Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion, where the studio is located in which we're recording the winning song for the EINE WELT Song Contest." (Felix Gebauer, music producer Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion e.V.)

"Then go ahead and march with Pegida to save our
Western world
You're barely coping yourself, I can understand that!
Whoever is worse off than you, can only be a Malingerer
Slam the door and shout: good riddance!" (School band Meiningen - Pegidamarsch)

"I think this is a great opportunity for us and also something very special. The fact that we can do this in a real recording studio, that's something that doesn't happen every day." (Tabitha Eugling, school band Gymnasium Meiningen, winning song Pegidamarsch)

"The great thing about working with rising artists is giving them tips, helping them get ahead. They haven't been used up by the music industry yet." (Felix Gebauer, music producer Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion e.V.)

"My song's message is that you should stop complaining and looking for mistakes in the world, and that everything is already there and that it's up to you to piece it together." (Simon Deregowski, winning song Puzzleteile)

"The world is there, in puzzle pieces, puzzle pieces, but is not made to stay that way, stay that way." (Lyric line, Simon Deregowski, winning song Puzzleteile)

"I wished for a world without war, where children can go to school, a world without droughts and famines. This is a global topic and what I wrote goes in that direction." (Ezé Wendtoin – winning song Die Rampensau singt eine Welt)

"Our song promotes a single united world that lives together in peace, and where there is only happiness, tolerance and love. Wars, violence and terrorism are a thing of the past." (Habiba Benmessaoud)

"The produced songs will all be compiled on a single album, which will accompany the current school competition round. The EINE WELT song was nominated on 6 November. This song is now the anthem of the Federal President's school competition on development policy. We are planning further concerts with the 25 winners. On the eve of the award ceremony, there will be a very big concert, and everyone will have the chance to perform." (Mirjam Kahlert, team member of the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

Your SONG for EINE WELT - studio recording session for the Special Prize Africa with Ezekiel Nikiema from Burkina Faso

"I was born as Ezekiel Nikiema and my stage name is Ezé Wendtoin. Boum!" (Ezé Wendtoin - winning song "Die Rampensau singt eine Welt")

"For one world, for one, I am happy to play the stage hog!" (Lyric line, Ezè Wendtoin, Eine Rampensau singt eine Welt)

"I wished for a world without war, where children can go to school, a world without droughts and famines. This is a global topic and what I wrote goes in that direction." (Ezé Wendtoin – winning song Die Rampensau singt eine Welt)

"The song is good. This African approach that is slightly irritating at first for us Europeans. I mean the rhythm and the rhythmic feeling. Ezé is a really nice guy. He enters the room and the sun starts shining, you have a good time with him." (Felix Gebauer, Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion e.V.)

"When we heard that Ezekiel the Stage Hog had won the Special Prize Africa, we were all really happy. Ezekiel is a very positive person, full of energy. You can see this right now during production. Ezekiel is working on several great projects. He spends a lot of time working with adolescents and children, and music is always his medium. He is deeply concerned with the topics of ONE WORLD, and he has great potential. He also adds a lot of joy into the mix." (Mirjam Kahlert, team member of the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"No more Ebola in Africa, no more poverty
Children playing with chalk, not guns
Africans no longer dying at sea
Why illiteracy, religious warfare here
Oh oh Africa." (Lyric line – Ezé Wendtoin - Eine Rampensau singt eine Welt)

"We live in one world, where people are different, but we can build a new world together." (Ezekiel Nikiema, winner of the African Prize)

Main jury session for the song contest

"Hello, I'm Vite and we're about to go to the main jury session of the EINE WELT song. Come along!" (Vite, Vielfalter (Diversity Butterfly) for the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"Today is the main jury session of the Song Contest. 1,380 children and young people have recently participated in the song contest. That's really a huge number. 159 submissions! We are here today to nominate the EINE WELT song. Our jury is quite colourful and it naturally reflects the diversity of Germany. We have music producers, we have musicians, we have members of the Bundestag, we have people from the development cooperation sector, we have everything that Germany has to offer to make such an important decision." (Nicola Fürst-Schuhmacher is the Federal Coordinator of the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"Yes, 25 songs are quite a thing. We have already heard a few songs, and it was hard for us to come to a final decision because everyone has different criteria and it really is not that easy." (Elaiza, patrons of the song contest)

"The song for EINE WELT is, of course, very important; it has to reflect different facets of the world and, if possible, also have a message that brings this world together." (Wohnraumhelden, patrons of the Song Contest)

"It was really exciting and very, very difficult to decide on the African song. But the jury has now come to a decision and it's a song from Burkina Faso. The winner is Ezekiel Nikiema, he calls himself the Stage Hog, which we find very funny. It is an interesting song with many African rhythms. I think it really appeals to anyone. We are delighted." (Nicola Fürst-Schuhmacher is the Federal Coordinator of the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"There is so much exciting and good music among the candidate songs. This is going to be a tough decision." (Vite, Vielfalter (diversity butterfly) for the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"It's always about two things. It is about the literary and the musical quality. And this song, which has now been nominated, features some very nice imagery. I thought that the beginning of the song in particular, the first half, was very convincing from a musical perspective." (Professor Doctor Christoph Wulff, Vice President of the German Commission for UNESCO)

"Macht eure Augen auf (Open your eyes), the song written by Andre Fischer, is the winner. Great song!" (Vite, Vielfalter (diversity butterfly) for the Federal President's school competition on development policy)

"I think it's a song with great chart potential that can best transport the message of the Federal President and, of course, our message as well. You can look forward to hearing the final production and thank you all for letting us be here." (Rasheed; radio presenters at JAM FM)

"Congratulations, Andre Fischer! A really, really good song. Let's give him a round of applause!" (John; JAM FM)

"A great choice! Very nice voice! Especially the way Andre structured the song. It starts down below and opens up later on. A good decision!" (Mr. Kibs, musician and music producer)

"We are now going to produce all 25 songs, not just the winner. In fact, we are already recording them. The winner as well as the Africa song will get some extra attention, of course. For example, we will use it as an anthem at concerts. We are also currently looking for other ways to promote the song. There will be concerts. So the future holds quite a bit in promise for these young people." (Nicola Fürst-Schuhmacher is the Federal Coordinator of the Federal President's school competition)

Your SONG for EINE WELT - interview with Andre Fischer

"The song is called 'Macht eure Augen auf', which means that everyone can contribute starting at their own doorsteps. Don't start doing something once you're personally affected, but think ahead and open your eyes." (Andre Fischer)
"Open your eyes, we are children of this world.
Open your eyes, it's what keeps us alive.
"Open your eyes." (Lyric line, Andre Fischer, "Macht eure Augen auf")

"How did you discover the song contest?" (Vite)

"My teacher Christoph Lammen, who teaches German at my school Schillergymnasium, approached me first. He knew that I make music and write songs, and he asked me if I would like to take part in this competition. When I was home again, I spent the whole time googling. So yes, I thought it was a great project and then I signed up." (Andre Fischer)

"It's always been very important to me that you firmly stand behind the meaning of the music that you write, with all your heart. This makes it more authentic, and authentic is good." (Andre Fischer)

"How did you find out that you had won? What was your initial reaction? What went through your mind?" (Vite)

"A lot. After they told me the date the winners would be nominated, I went straight back home from school, booted my Mac, logged in to Facebook and kept refreshing the page. When I saw that I had won, I first called my friends and my whole family, and I then spent some time jumping around the house and celebrating a bit." (Andre Fischer)

"How did you start making music? How long have you been writing songs? Which instruments do you play?" (Vite)

"I owe all of that to my father. He is a musician, and when I was three years old, he sat me in front of an electric piano and said: 'Ok, now whack the keys'. That's my first experience with music. Then things started shaping up. I wrote my own songs, my interest in music grew, and it still is." (Andre Fischer)

"How do you deal with people who are different from you?" (Vite)

"I think that diversity is incredibly important and exciting. You get to learn new cultures and new people, mainly through travelling. I really love travelling. It's what makes us human. That we are all different. There is no wrong or right. It all boils down to one person who matters." (Andre Fischer)

"Open your eyes, we are children of this world. Open your eyes, it's what keeps us alive." (Lyric line, Andre Fischer, "Macht eure Augen auf") 

Launch event of the Federal President's school competition on development policy

"Hello" (Vite) 
"Hello, my name is Vite. I am a "Vielfalter" (translator's note: wordplay meaning a butterfly that brings diversity, a diversity butterfly) and travel around for the ONE WORLD. In the coming months, I will be travelling from country to country to get to know your world, and today I am here in Potsdam at the launch event of the school competition as part of the Future Tour. So see you soon, I've been called already. Bye!" (Vite, diversity butterfly for the Federal President's school competition on development policy 2015/2016)

"The school competition aims to raise awareness amongst adolescents, children, pupils in grades 1-13 and to enable them for ONE WORLD, and to incorporate and establish the topic of global development in the curriculum. This year's motto is: differences unite – together unique, and the overarching theme is "dealing with diversity", which is the motto of this hands-on exhibit. We have planned various events, for example, one can craft diversity butterflies here and we have rebuilt the book of diversity here. This is a friendship book in which you can write down aspects of diversity, and there is also a fingerprinting event." (Katja Winter) 

"The song contest is an accompanying measure of the school competition, held for the first time this year. It is a pilot project. Young people could submit songs, we received 159 in total, and today, the winners of the song contest will have the opportunity to play their songs, and it is a nice setting for the launch event." (Katja Winter) 

"Here is the world, puzzle pieces." (Lyric line, Simon Deregowski, Puzzleteile) 

"My song is about puzzle pieces. I do not believe that the world is missing something, but that everything is already there and only has to be puzzled together, to get rid of the chaos you usually encounter when starting to build a puzzle." (Simon Deregowski) 

"Music can change the world because music connects people." (Dorin Ben-David)

"I'm sure that there's a sun coming out 

And it will lift us up (oh'oh'oh')" (Dorin Ben-David – Lovers of the earth) 

"As a musician, you are in a position to get the ball rolling, so thumbs up to that!" (Musician of Elaiza) 

"and let grow our love for the earth" (Lyric line Dorin Ben-Davis – winning song - Lovers of the earth) 

"Our song is about the refugee situation. We thought that this refugee issue was a current topic and it moved us, so we wrote a song called "Pegidamarsch". (Band member of school band Gymnasium Meiningen) 

"Then go ahead and march with Pegida to save our 
Western world
You're barely coping yourself, I can understand that!
Whoever is worse off than you, can only be a 
Malingerer
Slam the door and shout: good riddance!" (School band Meiningen - Pegidamarsch)

THIS WORLD BELONGS TO US! 
[jetzkommtFARGO, Cross, Johnny Strange, Odara Sol]

1. verse: [FARGO]

We do not have to look to the horizon to see

some people lifting themselves above other people's rights

everyone could be a victim,

discrimination starts in the classroom

and reaches into the highest echelons of government.

those that don't shout stop will never come to one,

maybe it won't solve the problem but it sets an example,

yes we are many, many nations means many visions, religions, names, colours of the skin, generations - but we are one world,

yes we are humans - we share the same dreams and we should fight - not with weapons but with our minds,

come and get the stone rolling - it lies in our hands!

1. hook: [All including children and adolescents in the choirs] 

This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

If we stand together nothing can knock us down,

This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

Together, we go boldly towards the future

2. verse [Cross, Johnny Strange]

Cross:

So much talent,

so many ideas,

so many opportunities to live this freedom,

so much diversity, so much potential,

so many options, we always have a choice

Johnny/Cross alternating:

The time we have is limited,

But whoever makes good use of it can be the best, We need courage, perseverance and self-confidence,

Come, let's take our chance, however small it may be. You can realise your dream, 

it's up to you, 

Never give up, 

it's up to you, 

if you don't even try, 

you don't make it because you have to take risks,

2. hook: [All including children and adolescents in the choirs]

This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

If we stand together nothing can knock us down, This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

Together we go boldly towards the future

1. bridge:

It's up to us,

Yeah, because we are one world, and if we don't like something,

It's up to us,

to change it, because we decide how we live,

It's up to us,

Yeah, and we're not alone, we get to free ourselves from all of that, It's up to us,

To make something out of it, let's step out of our shadow, It's up to us,

3. verse [Odara Sol - in Portuguese/Brazilian]

Brigando, lutando, buscando caminhos ou tentando uma chance encontrar. Ninguém é sozinho, a força rugindo...

Unidos chegaremos lá.

Na fé consciente brotando da mente, não mente

Só faz entender

Que o que você sente

é real, é resistente

É um consequente querer

Contra o preconceito, o racismo e o conceito de que viver só vale pra um Cegos na maldade na pura crueldade

Hoje falsidade é comum

Mas nossa voz é mais alta

e nada mais falta

Então, vamos decolar?

Depende da gente o amor é presente

Então, prontos pra lutar?

2. bridge: [Cross]

We are standing up,

Together, we are one world, 

We are pulling together, 

We are building a life to our liking, We can only achieve that together, 

We are standing up, 

Together, we are one world, 

We are pulling together, 

We are building a life to our liking, We can only achieve that together,

4. hook: [All including children and adolescents in the choirs]

This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

If we stand together nothing can knock us down, This world belongs to us,

We are free we are colourful,

No matter what may come,

Together we go boldly towards the future!