THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Politicians of African descent from the length and breadth of Germany and of all political colourations will gather in Berlin on Saturday (9 July) for a meet-up with members of the Black community.
The event, tagged “The way into the parliaments – networking elected officials of African origin” (Der Weg in die Parlamente – Mandatsträger:innen afrikanischer Herkünfte vernetzen), is a cross-community, non-partisan political networking meeting with an internship exchange for young people who would like to learn from those active in the field.
Organised by the Association of elected officials of African descent in Germany (Vereinigung MandatsträgerInnen Afrikanischer Abstammung e.V., VMA), the event provides a forum for Black politicians to share their experiences with young people and other members of the community contemplating involvement or a career in politics.
Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana (Member of the European Parliament, The Greens), Benjamin Adjej (Member of the Munich Parliament, The Greens) and Elombo Bolayela (Member of the Bremen Parliament, SPD) will take part in a panel discussion on Black inclusion in German politics.
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The political education event, which will take place at the Berlin Parliament building, seeks to “network, empower and together break new ground for inclusive politics”, the organisers said.
“There will also be plenty of opportunity for informal exchange, bringing together offers and requests and networking at the 1st analogue internship exchange!”
People of African descent are becoming visible in German politics – from the communal level to the national stage. There are four Afro-German members in the current federal parliament, the Bundestag. In fact, three of them won direct mandates, which means they won the highest number of votes cast in their constituencies, at the September 2021 elections.
Femi Awoniyi
For more information about the VMA, which promotes the participation of people of African descent in political decision-making in Germany, visit its website at https://www.vmaa-ev.de/.
