Honoring History: Commemorative Plaque Unveiling at Berlin Cosmopolitan School
A special day for the school community
Although a few weeks have passed since the event, the memory of May 28th, 2025, remains vivid and meaningful for our entire school community. On that afternoon, Berlin Cosmopolitan School hosted a very special ceremony at our Rückerstraße campus: the official unveiling of a commemorative plaque, recognizing our school building as a protected historical monument.
The ceremony was a celebration not only of the building’s architectural and cultural significance, but also of the values that continue to shape our school — education, community, and continuity.
Despite a heavy downpour just moments before the event, the rain lifted in perfect harmony with the opening of the program: a personal introduction and moving, self-composed piano piece by Grade 8 student Arundhati Appu. As her music filled the Hall of Fame, the clouds parted and sunlight streamed in — a symbolic start to a memorable afternoon.
The musical opening continued with a performance of Pachelbel’s Canon in D by members of the Cosmo Philharmonic Orchestra: Ella Aebi (cello), Emilia Ruiz-Basteck, Charlotte Yang, and Emil Kaufmann (violin), and Maya Lesenarova Viehoff (viola), beautifully introduced by Ella herself.
Yvonne Wende, founder and director of BCS, welcomed the guests with a heartfelt speech. While District Mayor Stefanie Remlinger was unexpectedly delayed due to security-related traffic disruptions in the city, District Councillor Benjamin Fritz joined the event and addressed the audience with kind and encouraging words.
Ulrike Reccius, long-time friend of the school and expert on local history, provided context on the building’s architectural heritage, highlighting its transformation from a historical site to a place of learning and creativity.
The highlight of the afternoon was the official unveiling of the commemorative plaque by Yvonne Wende and Benjamin Fritz—an act that symbolized the respectful preservation of the past and the vibrant future of education at BCS.
Guests, students, and staff came together afterward for informal conversations and refreshments in the courtyard and the Hall of Fame. The event closed on another musical high note, with a performance by the talented BCS Jazz Ensemble.
We are deeply grateful to all who contributed to this beautiful and meaningful occasion, especially our students, musicians, and honored guests. The commemorative plaque now stands as a lasting reminder of the stories and spirit that live within our walls.
About the Berlin Cosmopolitan School, Preschool and Kindergarten
The Berlin Cosmopolitan School is changing the traditional way schools and kindergartens work with different approaches to learning in the areas of nature and environmental protection, sports, new work, culture, dance, music and art and much more. The aim of the independent school, preschool and kindergarten is to bring all students along according to their abilities.
“When school motivates, everyone learns more” is the conviction of the Berlin Cosmopolitan School. Regular outdoor learning, sports activities and competitions, digital projects such as robotics, internships from grade 6, music-making from kindergarten age, dance clubs, bilingual education and much more help the children to discover and develop their own preferences and abilities.
Important concerns of the Berlin Cosmopolitan School, Kindergarten and Preschool are social justice, equal opportunities in education and a balanced community. The school regularly awards scholarships to students and accepts refugees. Through its established network and internationally trained staff, the educational institution has the opportunity to explore new educational paths for every age group.
The Berlin Cosmopolitan School was founded in 2003 as a non-profit organisation by Yvonne Wende. In 2004, the first bilingual (English-German) kindergarten and preschool opened for Berlin-Mitte with 18 children. Shortly after, the primary school started and most recently, in 2009, the accredited bilingual Gymnasium of Berlin Cosmopolitan School 01P22. Since then, the number of students has steadily increased. Approximately 1,000 students from all over the world are now being taught on the Rückerstraße and Invalidenstraße campuses. The kindergarten has grown to a number of more than 300 children between the ages of 1 and 6.
In 2013, Berlin Cosmopolitan School was accredited as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, first for primary school and also for the Gymnasium. The IB Learner Profile is about developing children and young people into lifelong learners. The school and kindergarten use primary experiences to design lessons.
