Three weeks ago ILSE Member DLRG published its annual report in a press conference.
Main topic was the result of a representative survey in the German population about the swim ability with a terrible result. The swim ability is decreasing – also in the group of children in primary schools and youth.
For weeks it was a topic in the German media – newspapers, radio stations, TV. Still a campaign is running in one of the broadcast stations of Berlin. Together with a Health Insurance Company they are organizing swimming courses for adults for free.
This huge media interest was the reason for a hearing in the German Parliament (German Bundestag). Vice President of DLRG, Dr. Detlev Mohr, got the opportunity to speak in the Sports Committee of the German Parliament (agenda of the meeting on 2017-06-17).
A one-hour-discussion on the topics of swimming ability and closing of pools took place in the Plenary Session of the German Bundestag one hour later.
DLRG Vice President Ute Vogt (as well a member of the Parliament for the SPD) could speak in this discussion. All speakers mentioned the DLRG Survey and offered their opinion why the situation became worse.
For those who are able to understand German, the speaches could be of interest:
Zusatztagesordnungspunkt 2:
Aktuelle Stunde auf Verlangen der Fraktion DIE LINKE:
Kindern das Schwimmenlernen ermöglichen – Auswirkungen von Privatisierungen und Schwimmbadschließungen
- Jan Korte (DIE LINKE)
- Barbara Woltmann (CDU/CSU)
- Özcan Mutlu (BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)
- Mahmut Özdemir (Duisburg) (SPD)
- Dr. Frank Steffel (CDU/CSU)
- Dr. André Hahn (DIE LINKE)
- Ute Vogt (SPD)
- Britta Haßelmann (BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)
- Eckhard Pols (CDU/CSU)
- Jeannine Pflugradt (SPD)
- Josef Rief (CDU/CSU)
- Erich Irlstorfer (CDU/CSU)