AFRIKA@SCHOOL

Great News: Hanza Diman receiving Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

The association MAU Bayreuth e.V. feels proud to announce that MAU founding member and coordinator of Afrika@School Dr Hanza Diman is one of 21 people who are honoured and awarded with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany under the motto “Building Bridges”. Dr Diman is acknowledged for his tireless efforts and for making constructive contributions to address the global challenges of the present times. His contributions indeed are commendable and a source of learning for everyone. We are all proud.

What is Afrika@school about and who is involved?

Afrika@school is the further development of the BIGSAS@school project initiated by the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) in 2012. The aim of this project is to enable encounters between students from Africa and those involved in African Studies, and pupils at schools in Upper Franconia. The aim of this exchange is to break with the dominant negative image of Africa and the association of Africa with crises, conflicts and catastrophes, which is portrayed in many German textbooks and media.

Since 2018, the association Model African Union (MAU) Bayreuth e.V. has continued the project under the name Afrika@school. The project is implemented by students from Africa, students with an focus on African Studies and Africans living in Germany.

How do we proceed and what can we offer each other?

We either contact institutions directly and present our concept or institutions give us a request. After the first contact, we will get in touch with the institution to find a suitable date. The next step is to develop the concept of our session together. We have a variety of topics and methods that we have recourse to like “Arbre à palabra” (a very flexible discussion method), interactive workshops to different topics, a drawing and painting session with the Tanzanian artist Noel Anasael, dance- and cooking workshops or a game session à l’africaine. In our Train-the-Trainer course, we offer the participants insight into the development, implementation and evaluation of an (interactive) workshop.

We are very pleased if we have aroused your interest. Please feel free to contact us at any time, so that we can find a suitable date together and design a format that is individual for your interior.

Our sessions are usually designed for three hours and are offered in German, English and French.

Model African Union Bayreuth e. V. is a non-profit association. We, therefore, do not ask for a fee. If travel cost arises we would appreciate it if the institution would cover those.

To whom is the project addressed and which frames are offered?

Currently, the Afrika@school project is aimed at schools and vocational schools as well as other social institutions such as kindergartens, training and youth centres, clubs and retirement homes.

The format and the topic can be chosen individually by the participants, and the design possibilities include workshops, discussion and debate groups, but also games and interactive courses such as painting, dancing and cooking together. In this way, dialogue on Africa-related topics can be entered into in different ways.

Have we aroused your interest? Contact us:

Hanza Diman

project coordination and contact person