The World Cup in Germany is being heralded as one of the biggest parties ever. It’s a huge success, and that is not meant financially.

As one author has written “Humanity celebrates itself during such moments — it celebrates its creativity, its variety, its togetherness.” It is the biggest party ever in Germany, and it’s not just designed for germans, rather for people from all around the World.

Before the World Cup started there was a lot of talk here in Germany about how germans would have to behave in order to welcome the thousands of guests. There was even a campaign in a city of Germany pledging the people to “smile more often and be friendly”. After having lived here for over three years, I could to an extent even understand such a cry for positivity. Who would have thought the germans could be so world-open, friendly and such great guests!

And who would have thought that the World Cup would unite people and cultures the way it has. Everywhere you look fans from all around the world are walking the streets proudly displaying their national colours and costumes. They sit together in cafes, bars and restaurants, where they meet other fans from their own cultural background. They sit, chat and laugh! But they don’t do this on their own. They do exactly the same with fans from other nations. Dutch fans mixing with fans from the Ivory Coast, Australians partying for hours with brazilian fans and so forth.

I’ve been lucky enough to see two matches live. Both times the fans of opposing nations didn’t whistle or jeer when the other nations national anthem was played. They laughed together, they screamed together and at the end they hugged each other. Dutch fans and Argentinian fans embraced after their teams draw. They took photos of each other - arm in arm!

And on the streets during the games thousands mix and watch their teams games in the Official Fan Fest venues. Here in Frankfurt around 50,000 fans watch each game on large screens. There is no splitting the fan areas. Mexicans sit with the Portugese, Italians next to Swiss fans etc. It’s one hell of a party!

The fans wrap themselves in flags, paint their faces, sing their national anthems passionately. After the game, the fans from Argentina, the Ivory Coast, Italy and Ghana photograph each other. They exchange photographs and telephone numbers — “Take care of yourself, see you in four years, at the next World Cup.”

And the germans, so long considered effiecient, serious and unhumorous are something comepletely new and positive. Germans have never been very fond of showing national pride, it’s not really something germans consider important or safe. But things have changed - atleast for a few weeks.

Years and decades ago germans would never have waved german flags, painted their faces or sang their national anthem in the streets. But now things have changed - all because of a huge football party.

Yesterday, after their win against Sweden in the Round of 16, the streets were blocked for literally two or more hours in every major city by fans driving their cars along the streets waving flags and beeping their horns. HOURS!

Around 750,000 people visited the “Fan Mile” in berlin to watch the game!

It’s amazing what football is doing to the people here, no matter where in world they were born or what religion they follow.

It really is a global party, a global show of humanity.

The only execption are some english football fans. There has been no trouble at any game, however whereever the english fans seem to be, the arrests occur. It’s a shame for their country. They have such a strong love for the game and many fans are fantastic, but there are some who should never be left of their island. Nobody needs these fools!

However, when there are millions of people watching different games of football, those few hundred fools matter little. Humanity celebrates!!!!

Check out www.youtube.com and enter the words “world cup party germany” and you’ll see a heap of films showing the various parties going on!!!!!