Since 2020, Zusammen Bewegen e.V. has been regularly organising the Africa Festival in Osnabrück. What initially started as a small initiative has now become a fixed part of Osnabrück’s cultural calendar. The Africa Festivals are not only cultural events but also places of encounter. People from Osnabrück and the surrounding area experience African joy of life, tradition, and modernity, not second-hand, but directly in exchange with those who live this culture. Each year, the festival focuses on a special theme that highlights both intercultural exchange and the association’s project work
2021 – Diversity Despite Distance
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Africa Festival could not take place in its usual form. Instead, it was held digitally. Under the motto “Diversity Despite Distance,” the association presented cultural contributions, lectures, and music online. Even though physical gatherings were not possible, the festival showed how important intercultural dialogue is, especially in times of crisis.
2022 – Africa Tells Its Stories
In 2022, the Africa Festival focused on African history and storytelling traditions. With guests such as the author Sylvia Serbin and Afro-German sociologist Dr. Natasha A. Kelly, a literary-cultural emphasis was set. The goal was to make stories and voices from Africa visible and bring them to life in Osnabrück.
2023 – Encounter & Community
In 2023, two major African events took place: Africa Day at Osnabrück Zoo and the Africa Festival at BBS Marienheim. Both events focused on the theme “Encounter & Community.” Families, children, and young people could experience African culture firsthand through music, dance, fashion shows, and interactive activities. At the same time, donations were collected to directly support the construction of a boarding school in Cameroon.
2024 – Education Starts in Kindergarten
In 2024, Zusammen Bewegen e.V., with the children’s book “Where Do You Come From?”, highlighted cultural diversity and early childhood education. The Africa Festival also followed this focus: emphasising how integration begins at an early age and how children can learn to see diversity as an enrichment through playful experiences.
2025 – Africa, One Country?
For 2025, the Africa Festival’s main theme is “Africa, One Country?”. The motto plays with a common stereotype that reduces the entire continent to a single identity. The goal is to make Africa’s diversity visible—54 countries, thousands of languages, religions, and cultures—and to promote a nuanced perspective. Through music, art, lectures, and interactive activities, the festival shows that Africa is colourful, diverse, and multifaceted.
