THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The historic Peace Hall of Osnabrück’s Town Hall provided a fitting backdrop on 29 October for the 2025 Africa Prize ceremony of the Ellen and Karl-Heinz Hornhues Foundation Pro Afrika, which honours outstanding initiatives that foster cultural exchange, education, and sustainable development between Africa and Europe.
The festive event opened with a performance by Joy Wendo & Friends, followed by a welcome address from Mayor Katharina Pötter, who praised the awardees for “building bridges and enriching Osnabrück’s culture of peace.” The mayor emphasised that “the prize shows that engagement with Africa is not a distant issue, but one that is actively lived in our schools, associations and communities.”
Three Main Awards
The third prize went to Zusammen bewegen e.V., an Osnabrück-based association whose annual Africa Festival has become a fixture of the city’s cultural calendar. The festival celebrates music, dance, art, culinary diversity and intercultural dialogue, strengthening community ties through shared creativity.
The second prize was awarded to Class 4a of the Freiherr-vom-Stein Primary School in Oesede, whose students demonstrated how young people can take global responsibility. Their initiatives included a charity flea market to support a home in Malawi and the creation of an educational game on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The first prize went to the Vocational Schools of the Osnabrück District in Melle for their impactful projects in Uganda and Ghana. Through the introduction of sustainable menstrual hygiene products and exchange programmes that connect students across continents, the schools promote education and the empowerment of young women while fostering empathy and solidarity.
In addition to the main awards, five other initiatives received recognition prizes for their outstanding social engagement in the region.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Addressing the many young attendees in the Peace Hall, Professor Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues, co-founder of the Pro Afrika Foundation, underlined the importance of youth involvement:
“The purpose of the Pro Afrika Foundation — to strengthen relations between the peoples of Africa and Germany, especially by engaging young people — has certainly been fulfilled. With this award, we express our appreciation for all those who have dedicated themselves to Africa and its people, inspiring others to join them on this journey.”
The ceremony concluded on a joyful note with a song performed by Class 4a and a musical finale by Joy Wendo & Friends.
Each year, the Africa Prize highlights how meaningful and enriching intercultural exchange can be. The inspiring work of this year’s laureates calls on others to take responsibility, show solidarity and actively contribute to peace — values at the very heart of the Osnabrück Peace City tradition.
Vivian Asamoah
