Organizers of the Africa Forum at the end of the successful conference day (Photo: SEZ/ Sabine Hebbelmann)
The first Africa Forum Baden-Württemberg took place on October 27, 2022.
Changing the narrative together. Redesign partnerships together.
The same images with the same stories: common images of Africa are rightly criticized. Because: Unfortunately, the African continent is often only reported in stereotypes that largely use colonial image patterns.
The story of a benevolent Europe lending a helping hand to a supposedly backward Africa is still often told. It’s high time to change this narrative! Specifically also with regard to the questions: Who makes development policy in Baden-Württemberg? How is the African continent seen in Baden-Württemberg?
Cooperation with Africa is becoming increasingly important.
The expertise and partnerships to shape this collaboration already exist in Baden-Württemberg. With the 1st Africa Forum Baden-Württemberg For the first time, there was a large stage and the opportunity to redesign collaborations.
The African diaspora plays an important and so far little present role in civil commitment to partnerships with Africa. To shed light on this aspect of cooperation, over 27 people gathered in the Filderhalle in Leinfelden-Echterdingen on October 350th. Another 100 participants from seven different African countries joined in online. The Development Cooperation Foundation (SEZ) and the Forum of Cultures invited the event together with eleven Afrodiaspora organizations that are committed to global sustainability issues and fair partnerships.
Afrodiaspora expertise
Under the motto “Changing the Narrative”, the concentrated development policy expertise of civil society activists, in particular Afrodiasporic organizations and representatives of federal and state politics, came together. They discussed what new directions, approaches, ideas and values global partnerships of the future need and set topics for new narratives.
Dr. Rachid L’Aoufir, Chairman of the African-German Working Group and Transnational Corridors e.V., emphasized: “The Africa Forum activates the potential of African-German civil society. Trust is built between stakeholders. We now need to monetize the knowledge of diaspora actors, strengthen diaspora intermediaries and we need to reach the local level. This is where the sustainability of the diaspora actors’ actions comes into play. The Africa Forum must be institutionalized.”
We can only agree with this, thank everyone who took part and look forward to the next, second Africa Forum Baden-Württemberg. Until then!
organizers
In co-operation with
Your contact persons
DR. KIDIST HAILU
Specialist promoter for local partnership initiatives
