On the future of the Berlin ICC: The congress center should be a congress center again

It’s also not a sensible goal in terms of content, because Berlin has no shortage of art and cultural offerings. A new large site should not unnecessarily drain water from them.

But what the German capital is missing is exactly that: a large, representative international congress center in a central city location. It is a bit embarrassing that major congresses in our capital can only take place in the privately run ECC in an inconspicuous peripheral location.

Instead of spending more time and money on a bad investment, Berlin should lobby the federal government to consider taking over or cooperatively revitalizing and using the ICC. Yes, this will involve some public effort for renovation and operation, but it can also bring new economic and political impulses for the federal capital that are currently lacking. Franziska Eichstädt-BohligBerlin-Charlottenburg