Plans are underway for this year’s International Afrika Festival Tübingen, one of the biggest and most successful African festivals in Germany.
Dr Susan Tatah, the Founder and CEO of the International Afrika Festival Tübingen told Afronews.de that they were working behind the scenes to put everything in place, hoping that COVID-19 restrictions will soon be waived and people allowed to easily mingle as in the past.
“We just want to be ready in advance so that should the authorities give us green light, we can easily go ahead and host the Festival by observing all the health and safety measures that will not expose people attending the event to COVID-19,” Dr Tatah said.
Yesterday in a radio interview, Boris Erasmus Palmer, the Lord Mayor of Tübingen said he was positive despite the lockdown, that Tübingen will hold summer festivals as usual.
There are hopes that with the intensive vaccination campaign currently underway in Germany, the situation may improve by summer.
The International Afrika Festival Tübingen normally takes in July for four to five days. Should the authorities allow the Festival to be held this year, it will be held in a reduced form, probably for two days either in July or August at the University Town Tübingen.
The theme of the 10th edition of the International Afrika Festival Tübingen is SANKOFA – a new decade for a United African Agenda. SANKOFA is a metaphorical symbol used by the Akan people of Ghana to express the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress. This year’s Festival will therefore be a call to Africans to value the traditional knowledge, wisdom, skills and resources and find a way of making best use of them for the development of the continent.
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The International Afrika Festival Tübingen – history
The International Afrika Festival Tübingen is a platform that proudly celebrates African cultures. It brings together Africans in Germany and from all other European countries to get fully immersed into an African environment and enjoy a taste of home away from home.
The first edition of the Festival was held in 2007 and it has been held annually except last year due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Festival features attractive and appealing African cultural activities to enable people learn about Africa, Africans, their traditions, and above all, let them discover investment opportunities in African countries. “We look forward to a new vibrant Africa,” Dr Tatah said.
This year’s Festival is powered by the newly created The Africa We Want non-profit organization, in collaboration with the PLO Lumumba Foundation, African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI), Maponga Joshua Foundation, Farmers of Thoughts, African Union and The Afronews.de
The Festival will feature exhibitors from all parts of Africa. Soon the organisers will provide further information and the link for registration.
By Stephen Ogongo
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