BRAUNSCHWEIG/OMAHA STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
ABOUT
THE PROGRAM
The German American Society established a high school student exchange between the cities of Omaha and Braunschweig in 1986. To “formalize” the relationship, Braunschweig was officially established as a sister city to Omaha in 1992.
The high school student exchanges have taken place every year since 1986 except for a brief hiatus of the program during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the longest running student exchange program in the state of Nebraska, and the only student exchange out of all of Omaha’s sister cities.
WHAT IS A SISTER CITY?
A Sister City agreement is formalized when two communities from different nations join to develop a friendly and meaningful relationship. The two cities exchange people, ideas, culture, education, and technology. Citizens from both communities learn about each other’s culture and become directly involved in developing unique solutions to common problems.
The Sister Cities Program promotes world peace in an individual level and encourages citizens to better understand community , contrasting their way of life with another culture.
CREATING THE EXCHANGE
Heinz Olk (1933 - 2024) was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in the German-American Society. Among his many other contributions, about 40 years ago he and
Thomas Ringleb in Braunschweig, Germany started to lay the foundation for a student exchange program that would involve high school students and their families. Each year, he recruited up to 20 families to host German teenagers in
Heinz Olk, founder of the Braunschweig Student Exchange, mentor, role model, and friend.
their homes and share their lives with them. Then he and other chaperones took the local teens to Germany to learn about that culture. Many of these families are still in touch. Some have sent each of their children in turn. Other participants have grown up and participated again by involving their own children. In just this one activity, Heinz enriched the lives of hundreds of people! He will be missed, but his inspiration will live on.