Here you will find information about the extensive supporting program of the 35th International Africa Festival. At the moment we are still planning the programme and this page will be updated regularly. We recommend that you subscribe to our newsletter. Here you will always receive the latest information about the festival.
FASHION MADE IN AFRICA
New Open Stage, daily 12:30 pm & Thursday 4 PM, Friday – Sunday 6:30 pm
The fashion designer Rama Diaw from Saint Louis (Senegal) has been creating modern African fashion and accessories for a few years now and uses native techniques and materials like batik and indigo fabrics. All materials she uses are purchased directly from Senegal, Mauretania and Mali. Because of her passion for fashion she created the federation “Aissaitou”, which brings together underprivileged dressmakers, sewers and cloth dyers in the countryside to offer them work. In order to support this project, Afro Project again provides a tent and catwalk free of charge and organises a fashion show with the creations of Madame Rama. The fashion show will take place at the New Open Stage daily at 12:30 PM and Thursday at 4 PM as well as Friday – Sunday at 6:30 PM.
CHILDREN´S PROGRAMME
KARI-BUNI WATOTO – Welcome children! Daily 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Kari-buni Watoto – Welcome Children! – is the name of the festival`s own children’s area, made possible by the collaboration with s.Oliver, where a wide range of games and activities for children of all ages will be offered. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the festival parents and grandparents can watch their children play. The children’s area is available free of charge to all our visitors.
Ibu story teller – New Open Stage, Daily 1:15 PM & Sunday 3 PM
The children’s programme is an integral part of the Africa Festival. The author and musician Ibrahima Ndiaye from Senegal knows how to inspire his young audience with a mixture of traditional storytelling, pantomime, percussion, dance and song. This time he tells stories from Africa of today and yesterday for tomorrow. Included are tales and black wisdom from his grandmother for young and old. You can listen to Ibu daily at the New Open Stage at 1:15 PM as well as Sunday at 3 PM.
BAZAAR AND CULINArY DELIGHTS
Daily 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
The bazaar again has a lot to offer: among other things, African musical instruments and CDs with traditional and modern African music. In addition, extraordinary clothes and fabrics, jewellery as well as sculptures, traditional masks, objects of art and everyday objects will provide enthusiasm. To indulge in culinary delights, the food area has African and oriental delicacies in store for you from Thursday to Sunday (11:00 – 11:00). This year you can enjoy dishes from Senegal, Ethiopia, Jamaica and Cameroon, among others.
“FOUNDATION AFRICA FESTIVAL” & MAMA AFRIKA E.V.
Mama Afrika is a non-profit recognized German-African association. The main goal of the association is the fight against female genital mutilation. In recent years, the association was able to complete a kindergarten in Cancan (Guinea). This is particularly important in Guinea, since unfortunately 90% of women are genitally mutilated. The next goal was the foundation of a school, where among other things the parents and also the children are educated about the consequences of female genital mutilation.
The school has now been completed with the support of the “Africa Festival Foundation”. The foundation would like to thank the internationally recognized and award-winning architect Francis Kéré from Burkina Faso, who provided the plans for the school free of charge.
university of würzburg
University Tent, daily 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
This year, the University of Würzburg is once again inviting visitors with its own event tent. The successful cooperation between the University of Würzburg and the International Africa Festival has existed for 15 years. The exact thematic focus of the university tent will be announced soon.
SOcIAL AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS
Place of social and innovative projects, daily 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
On the place of initiatives we will again present selected and meaningful projects, around Africa as well as print media. Here you can still see the projects we presented last year. The selection for the projects we will present in 2024 is currently underway.
ombili
Why and how did the Ombili project come into being? In 1989, some farmers living in the Tsumeb area – idealists – were particularly concerned about the future of the Bushmen because they had been living and working with them for decades. They knew the problems of the San and wanted to help the indigenous people of Namibia to find their way into an unknown future and step into the 21st century. At the Africa Festival, the “Ombili Circle of Friends Northeim“ will be showing handicraft objects made by the San on the former farm Hedwigslust.
Ärzte ohne Grenzen
Doctors without Borders is an international humanitarian aid organization. They provide medical aid in countries where people are in need due to wars, epidemics or natural disasters. Doctors without Borders supports people regardless of their origin, gender identity, political or religious beliefs. In order to remain independent, the German section of MSF finances most of its projects (96 percent) with the help of private donors. Around 45,000 employees are constantly working for Doctors without Borders in more than 70 countries. Most of the projects are in Africa at the moment.
a heart for Kenya
A Heart for Kenya is committed to helping orphans in Kenya and giving them a better future. Their
great vision is to create a place where children‘s eyes, previously filled with hopelessness, can once
again shine, a place where they can find hope, a loving home and a perspective. The association is
looking for people who want to help to give these children a chance for a healthy, self-determining and
violence-free life. Among other things, they build children‘s homes, schools, drill wells and arrange
sponsorships.
Baobab children foundation
Baobab Children Foundation is a Ghanaian NGO which has been running a vocational centre for youths for more than 18 years, which is located between Kissi and Kwahinkrom. This is a rural area, where children often don’t have a chance to receive an education, as, from an early age on, they must help their parents or grandparents with their work at a farm or with selling produce. Often financial reasons make it impossible for children or youths to visit a school – there is no money for a school uniform, for books or notebooks and often times the way to the next school is too long. 19 years ago Edith de Vos founded the Baobab Children Foundation for these youths.
Young africa rising
Young Africa Rising is a volunteer-run association from Berlin. Together with the Ghanaian partner association DoYouAfrica, they pursue the goal of supporting children and young people in Ghana in their personal development through sports and educational activities and to teach them important life skills. Current projects include regular sports training, empowerment through girls‘ football, youth football tournaments, educational work on various topics and a supplementary school offer through tutoring and computer courses.
Take a Malaika
Take a Malaika supports women and families from socially and economically difficult backgrounds with a sewing project in Arusha Tanzania. The women, most of whom are single parents, receive a monthly wage from the association, which is an important contribution to their livelihood. This recognition of their achievement strengthens their motivation and increases their self-confidence. The women also receive weekly business training and can obtain a micro-credit from the association to support them on their way to self-employment.
Fairtrade wines from South Africa
Big5 e.K. has been promoting social wine production in the wine country South Africa for more than 10 years. The focus is on fairly traded wines and the marketing of so-called “black owned brands”. These are wine brands that are economically represented by “black” South Africans. In addition to Fair Trade certified wines, Fair Labour certified wines are introduced in accordance with the Wieta Ethical Code of Best Practice. By marketing these largely unknown wine brands, Big5 e.K. has enabled many wine producers to gain access to the German and European markets in recent years.
ARTE OPEN AIR CINEMA
ARTE movie programme @ Africa Festival 2024
The cultural TV channel ARTE is the partner of the 35th International Africa Festival. We are pleased to show special ARTE films about African culture and music again this year in the ARTE Open Air Cinema. The focus is being selected and we will publish the detailed film programme for 2024 in December 2023.
ORIGINAL EXHIBITION PHOTOS FOR SALE!
Also this year, photos from the diverse and exciting exhibitions of the International Africa Festival are still available for purchase for a good cause. All photos will be displayed in the entrance area of the festival and can be taken immediately if you are interested. The large format photos are either framed or mounted on Alu Dipond and are priced between 150,- and 250,- Euro for a single photo. If you are interested, please contact the information booth. The proceeds will go to the “Africa Festival Foundation”, which has so far supported the music school “Amadu Bansang Jobarteh” in Gambia and the school of “Mama Africa” in Guinea. Both school projects were founded by two dedicated African women whom we have known for a long time. This is one of the reasons why the two projects have been so successful so far. The Foundation selected and supported these two schools in West Africa because education in Africa is the best weapon against ignorance, intolerance and poverty.