Germany is increasingly becoming a diverse country, with the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) revealing that more than one-quarter of the population has a migration background. As of 2024, 21.2 million people in Germany—representing 25.6% of the total population—are either immigrants themselves or the children of immigrants. This marks a notable increase from 2023, when individuals with …

The leaders of nine EU countries — Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — have issued a joint letter urging a rethinking of how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) applies to migration. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen led the initiative, which calls for greater national discretion …

Sona Jobarteh performed to a packed hall of music lovers at the Berlin Philharmonic on Thursday — and she did not disappoint. The queen of kora delivered an electrifying performance that transformed the evening into a celebration of African music. The audience was fully engaged, singing along, echoing her choruses and many abandoning their seats to dance for most of …

As Africa prepares to commemorate the centenary of Patrice Lumumba’s birth, Collins Nweke* reflects on the enduring struggle to name a public square in Ostend after the iconic Congolese independence leader, who was born on 2 July 1925. Nweke, a Nigerian-Belgian public intellectual and former councillor in the Belgian port city, recounts the resistance he faced in his efforts to …

This special report confronts an urgent and painful reality: the systemic racism endured by Black children in German schools. What should be spaces of growth and belonging too often become arenas of exclusion and trauma. Through meticulous research, this report illuminates the structural nature of this problem and offers a bold framework for change. It is based on the visionary …

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing non-communicable diseases worldwide, affecting all segments of the population and contributing to rising mortality rates. In Germany alone, the German Diabetes Centre estimates that around 8.5 million people are living with diabetes, the vast majority with type 2. An additional 2 million people are believed to be undiagnosed, meaning the total number of the …

Foreign Ministers Yusuf Tuggar and Johann Wadephul have reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to sustainable development, legal migration frameworks and economic cooperation during their meeting in Berlin, as Nigeria seeks to position itself as a vital partner of Germany in Africa  Nigeria and Germany have reaffirmed their long-standing bilateral relationship with renewed commitments to cooperation across strategic sectors including energy, trade …

In this powerful reflection, Collins Nweke* takes us on a deeply personal journey through Europe’s evolving relationship with diversity. Drawing on his lived experiences as a Nigerian-born Belgian public servant, father and now grandfather, he explores the shift from multiculturalism – living side by side, to interculturalism, where mutual transformation takes root.  Upfront I want to say that it would …

Acclaimed Gambian-British artist Sona Jobarteh is set to captivate audiences in Berlin and Bremen with her soul-stirring music on 29 May and 31 May, respectively. A master of the kora, a 21-string West African harp, Jobarteh is not only a virtuoso instrumentalist but also a singer, composer and passionate advocate for African cultural identity. Sona Jobarteh hails from one of …

Pope Leo XIV was officially inaugurated on Sunday in a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Square, attended by over 200,000 people, including dignitaries from across the globe. As he begins his pontificate, Pope Leo—born Cardinal Robert Prevost—called for global peace and solidarity with war-affected communities, particularly in Gaza, Myanmar and Ukraine. “In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot …