Ms Aydan Özoğuz, vice-president of the German federal parliament (Bundestag), speaking at the 2022 edition of the African Youth Education Awards, a major event in the African community that is usually attended by dignitaries, including leading German politicians /Photo: AfricanCourierMedia

Germany: New awards for Black youth educational achievers

The African community will gather in Hamburg on 4 November to honour youths of African descent who have excelled in their educational and training pursuits in the past year.

The event, the 11th African Youth Education Awards (AYEA), will be graced by diplomats, German politicians, Hamburg officials and other guests.

Initiated thirteen years ago to act against the observed low educational achievement levels among Black youths in Germany then, AYEA has proved to be a most impactful initiative in the African community.

As a result of feedback from educationists and the community, awards will be now be conferred in four major categories beginning with the 2023 edition, namely on those who:
1) Have completed vocational training
2) Have obtained a Bachelor’s degree
3) Have obtained a Master’s degree
4) Have obtained a doctoral degree.

The Director of AYEA, Desmond Beddy, is calling on Black youths to apply for the awards so that the eventual winners would reflect the true extent of educational achievements in the community.

“The new categories will enable the award scheme to encompass a wider range of educational achievements,” Mr Beddy explained.

“We appeal to our community to support this initiative by encouraging their children and wards to participate in it,” he added.

READ ALSO How to institutionalise African youth education awards

AYEA has established a reputation as one of the most important events in the African community in Germany and it is premised on the belief that positive role models from within their own communities will inculcate a higher sense of self-efficacy in the youths and push them to achieve their potential.

By highlighting success stories, AYEA has become a veritable source of inspiration for greater educational achievements among youths of African origin.

Eligible applicants, who must be of African descent, can apply for the award at: https://ayeawards.de/studium/

Femi Awoniyi

11th AYE Awards
Saturday, 4 November 2023
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Albert-Schäfer-Saal
Handelskammer Hamburg
Adolphsplatz 1,
20457 Hamburg

More about African Youth Education Awards at www.ayeawards.de

Check Also

Bürgerfest: German president celebrates civic engagement and ties with Kenya

On 13-14 September 2024, Schloss Bellevue in Berlin, the official residence of the German President, …