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Strengthening Connections: A Sister Cities in Action Encounter in Windhoek

Written by s.almaraz on . Posted in Blog.

On Monday, 20 October 2025, our third and final public event in Windhoek took place at the Village Garden.

On Monday, 20 October 2025, our third and final public event ind Windhoek took place at the Village Garden. It was a networking gathering where we invited various organisations from Windhoek to exchange experiences, present their work, and explore opportunities to learn from one another.

We began by introducing our Sister Cities on Action Project, the tandem structure, along with the different formats we use in our collaborative process in Windhoek, Jakarta, Mexico-City and Berlin. Afterwards, several Windhoek-based organisations took the floor to share their work with the plenary. We focused on initiatives working in the following areas:

● Group A: Migration & Inclusive Communities
● Group B: Culture of Remembrance (in public spaces)
● Group C: Climate Crisis and Urban Adaptation Strategies

Among them, the Namibian Museums Association presented their work connecting museums across the country and developing alternative approaches inspired by the concept of “living archives – we are all living archives.”

The Umbrella Initiative also presented its activities. They connect NGOs from different sectors and run several community projects, including a pre-loved exchange programme that collects and distributes items to people in need.

Lastly, Youth4Can, a youth-led organisation that advocates for radical action on climate change and aims to build local resilience and sustainable just transition across all 14 regions of Namibia shared its initiatives and ongoing efforts.

In the second part of the event, we facilitated three thematic discussion rooms where representatives from different civil society organisations in Windhoek explored the topics more deeply. Together, they identified points of intersection, shared challenges, and developed ideas for future collaboration.

Many promising insights emerged from these conversations — but so did meaningful reflections. They reminded us that we are more connected, more resourceful, and far stronger together than we often realise. The desire to nurture and strengthen a South–South cooperation became especially visible, grounded in solidarity, mutual learning, and a shared vision for more just and resilient urban futures.

Moments like these reaffirm the importance of building multilateral networks that transcend borders, disciplines and perspectives. When communities come together with openness and curiosity, new and exciting possibilities for the future of our cities emerge — possibilities that none of us could have imagined alone.

Many thanks to everyone who took part in this meeting, and to those who contributed to making it possible. We’re really excited about what’s to come and look forward to continuing to build bridges of understanding, diversity and action with you all!

25 Years of Windhoek–Berlin Twin City Partnership: Media Presence

Written by o.heinonen on . Posted in Blog.

October marked a major milestone for international cooperation as Windhoek hosted a series of Sister Cities in Action stakeholder meetings, culminating in the 25th anniversary celebration of the Twin City partnership between Windhoek and Berlin.

The engagements brought together representatives from local government, civil society, cultural institutions, and development partners to reflect on achievements and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The highlight of the month was the official anniversary celebration, which showcased a quarter-century of collaboration and friendship. The event reflected not only the historical significance of the partnership but also its ongoing impact—including cultural exchange programs, technical cooperation, and opportunities for shared learning between the cities.The celebrations and stakeholder sessions received strong media attention. The Namibian newspaper provided coverage, highlighting both the achievements of the project and the enthusiasm of the participating stakeholders. Complementary coverage in Berlin further amplified the importance of the partnership, emphasizing its success as a model for international city cooperation.

See below a few news articles from Windhoek:
Windhoek and Berlin celebrate 25 years as twin cities – Lifestyle – The Namibian
The Evening Review | Joel Haikali – 13 October 2025

See below a few news articles from Berlin:
Wegner besucht Berlins Partnerstadt Windhoek – Berlin.de
25 Years of Twin Cities Windhoek – Berlin  | Kulturprojekte Berlin
PRESS RELEASE | Kulturprojekte Berlin Creates Anniversary Programme for “25 Years of Twinned Cities Windhoek – Berlin” | Kulturprojekte Berlin

Windhoek Meeting – Workshop: “Past, Present and Partnership”

Written by r.lopez on . Posted in Blog.

On Thursday, 16th of October from 8AM – 4 PM the joint network meeting on “Past, Present and Partnership” took place.

On October 16, the Sister Cities in Action coordinators had the honor of presenting our pilot project during the 25th City Partnership Anniversary between Berlin and Windhoek, organized in collaboration with the Namibia Institute for Democracy at the Windhoek Country Club. The event, held under the theme Past Present Partnership, brought together representatives from civil society, city officials, and a visiting delegation from Berlin, which included members of the Berlin Senat and the Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion herself, who delivered the closing remarks.

During the event, the Sister Cities in Action team had the unique opportunity to introduce the concept of sister cities, share a brief history of the partnership, and present the mission and activities of the initiative—highlighting who we are, what we do, and how we collaborate to address global challenges together.

At the second part of the Full-Day-Workshop we worked and discussed together in three breakout sessions on the following topics:

Group A: Memory, spaces, and urban identities

The First Group discussed the central role that creatives play in shaping memory, space and urban identity. This is why the discussion focused on securing sustainable creative funding…

Building long-term structures for artists requires resources that enable continuity rather than short-term initiatives. To support this, the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg should introduce a German–Namibian international coproduction fund, modeled on the German–Polish and German–Turkish funds. The latter is based on the Berlin–Istanbul city partnership. Such a fund would deepen cultural exchange and collaborative production. Additionally, the idea of an Arts Expo in Windhoek emerged as a key platform to connect artists and creatives, strengthen networks, and foreground the shared evolution of memory and urban identity across both regions.

Group B: Equal and strategic partnership models

The second group focused on future partnership models and what is important for achieving genuine equality. The discussion revealed the following important characteristics…

Reciprocal Mobility
Equal partnerships require the ability to meet in each other’s cities; without mutual mobility, the relationship remains unbalanced.

Local Employment
Institutions should employ people from the countries where they operate, ensuring local knowledge, lived experience, and skills shape the work.

Intersectional Inclusion
This goes beyond representation—true partnership integrates diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise at every level (intersectionality)

Transparent Finances
Open and accessible financial structures build trust and create a foundation for genuinely equal relationships.

Process-Based Funding
Funding long-term processes instead of short, activity-focused projects enables sustainable change and strategic development

Group C: Youth and participatory governance

The last group took a look at Namibia’s youth and the role they play, or should play, in governance and democratic processes…

In Namibia, where unemployment is high (at 44.4% among young people in 2023), many young people struggle to meet their basic needs and often feel that political participation is out of their reach. Politics can be intimidating, and structural barriers make it difficult for young people to engage meaningfully with decision-makers. Many also feel that politics is far removed from their daily lives and that older generations rarely consider their views. Consequently, young people are often unaware that they are permitted to participate in political spaces, or these spaces are inaccessible to them. Strengthening political education and sharing accessible information are crucial steps towards inclusion. As one participant said: ‘If we always see the same people in the room, we have to change the room!’

Summary and Closing Remarks

There were many young, highly committed people there with clear ideas and demands about what kind of future they envision. One of them was encouraged by the Berlin Senator for Culture during her closing remarks to enter politics after the participant gave a passionate speech about the importance of young people’s participation in politics.


Sister Cities in Action Team has arrived in Windhoek

Written by o.heinonen on . Posted in Blog.

The Sister Cities in Action project coordinators from Berlin, Mexico City, and Jakarta arrived in Windhoek and was warmly welcomed to the offices of Creative Industry Institute Africa (CIIA) for the very first time.

This visit marks the beginning of two weeks of stakeholder engagements and internal sessions, as we meet in person to strengthen collaboration and chart the next phase of the Sister Cities in Action Project.

To celebrate this milestone, CIIA hosted a welcoming braai and networking event in true Namibian style! The gathering offered us an opportunity to ease into the busy weeks ahead, while also connecting with the CIIA team and members of Namibia’s vibrant civil society sector.

The event brought together representatives from organizations including the Umbrella Initiative, Physically Active Namibia, Goethe-Institut Namibia, Equal Namibia, Namibia Institute for Democracy, The Namibia Craft Centre, as well as officials from the City of Windhoek and City of Berlin, among others.

The evening was a great success, serving as both an ice-breaker and a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and cultural exchange. It set an inspiring tone for the days ahead, as our coordinators embark on a journey of learning, partnership, and shared purpose.

Stay tuned for updates from the upcoming sessions and engagements as we continue building stronger creative bridges between Berlin, Windhoek, Mexico City, and Jakarta under the Sister Cities in Action initiative.

Strengthening global democracies on a local level

Written by r.lopez on . Posted in Blog.

On Thursday, 3rd of July from 2-8 PM a network meeting on new municipalism and other approaches to grassroots democracy took place.

At the network meeting, the sister cities in action project provided a forum for discussion on the following question: How can Berlin’s international connections and (city) partnerships be used as a platform for the democratic participation (e.g. new municipalism) of diasporic perspectives and voices from the Global South?

As the group comprised participants involved in different areas, it was important to first clarify the core concepts of new municipalism, diaspora and city partnerships within the question. This exchange was made all the more exciting by the group’s diversity. The participants’ varied knowledge and experiences revealed connections and intersections between all the concepts, and above all emphasised the importance of diasporic community participation.

What is the goal?
New municipalism & other forms of grassroots democratic participation

Our group understood new municipalism to be a form of democracy that enables and ensures the participation of all members of society, i.e. a democracy that is determined and lived from the bottom up. Based on this understanding, we established and discussed connections to other concepts.
For instance, one participant highlighted parallels between new municipalism and cooperativism in their contribution to the workshop. Both are organisational structures that facilitate new avenues for democratic decision-making and collective action. The latter is particularly relevant in the context of trade relations. In cooperativism, every cooperative has one vote and is equally involved in decisions, regardless of its size. This was also discussed in the context of international cooperation, where cooperatives trade not only locally, but also between the Global North and Global South.

How can this goal be achieved?
(City)Partnerships – a platform for democratic participation

Civil society (city) partnerships are an instrument of democratic participation because they are usually closer to municipal structures than other civil society actors. This makes them a more accessible point of contact than traditional forms of participation at the municipal level.
At the same time, city partnerships can open up a different scope for action at the international level than would be possible through international cooperation at the national level, especially with regard to foreign policy issues. In one example a participant talked about a city partnership, where important projects supporting local self-organisation are being implemented that would not have been possible at the national level between the two nations states involved.
Ultimately, city partnerships, as well as other forms of civil society partnerships, facilitate meeting places centred around specific issues, bringing together people, initiatives, and organisations from different locations who are working on the same or similar global challenges. Where encounters take place, exchange takes place; where exchange takes place, people can learn from each other, and new solutions can be developed.

With whom can this be achieved?
Diasporic communities & voices from the Global South

It was clear from the contributions of Dêrik and Bahia, and the subsequent discussion, that the active participation of civil society and diasporic communities in democratic decision-making lends legitimacy and a long-term perspective to these processes.
In our discussion forum, we emphasised the importance of diasporic community participation in making the perspectives of the Global South more visible. Participation brings individuals to the forefront, showcasing their unique stories, interests, needs, ideas, and abilities.

If we understand city partnerships as a platform for democratic participation, the active involvement of respective diaspora communities in these partnerships at a civil society level offers an opportunity to shed new light on partnerships and, above all, on the people in partner cities. This helps to avoid purely deficit-oriented perspectives. This is because state perspectives tend to be very one-sided, focusing on the interests and needs of the state rather than the partner cities. Diaspora communities can actively contribute to highlighting imbalances, thus making partnerships more equitable and solidarity-based. This is because they often (though not always) facilitate understanding between the two cities on linguistic, cultural and political levels.

To enable diasporic communities to participate in local democratic decision-making processes, such as civil society-based city partnerships, it is important to create safe, linguistically accessible spaces where everyone feels welcome. If we take this serious, this could lead to new perspectives and strategies in various socially relevant areas, such as development policy, migration, the economy and trade, education, and culture. It could also lead to alternative forms of cooperation, such as cooperativism.

Conclusion

“City partnerships based in civil society that enable the active participation of diasporic communities can provide a platform for democratic participation by diverse social groups. At the same time, they can serve as a space for global solidarity where mutual learning is possible. And that is crucial for democratic processes in a society.”

Celebrating Windhoek–Berlin Partnership and Reflecting on Opportunities and Challenges

Written by o.heinonen on . Posted in Blog.

25 Years of Creative Ties: Celebrating Windhoek–Berlin Partnership and Reflecting on Opportunities and Challenges

The Sister Cities in Action anniversary event marked a significant milestone—celebrating 25 years of creative collaboration between Windhoek and Berlin. The event opened with a powerful screening of the documentary “Confronting Colonial Pasts – Envisioning Creative Futures”, produced by Joe Vision Production in collaboration with the Museums Association of Namibia, Ethnographic Museum of Berlin and other stakeholders. The film focused on the historic repatriation of 23 cultural artifacts returned to Namibia, a poignant reminder of the complex and often painful shared history between the two countries.

Following the screening, a panel discussion was moderated by Patric Sam and featured key voices of panelists included:

  • Naita Hishoono, Director at the Namibia Institute for Democracy, with extensive experience in collaborations between Namibia and Germany.
  • Maria Caley, a fashion designer and lecturer at the University of Namibia, bringing insights from the creative and academic sectors.
  • Tuli Mekondjo, a renowned multidisciplinary artist who has exhibited in various countries across the world including Germany

The discussion explored the creative ties forged over the past quarter-century, as well as the challenges and opportunities shaping this cross-cultural partnership.

It was acknowledged that the dark and complicated history linking Namibia and Germany remains a critical backdrop to all collaborative efforts. This shared past cannot be overlooked; however, much progress has been made in building meaningful and successful partnerships during the past 25 years.

A significant challenge highlighted by the panel is the absence of a formal framework in Namibia to govern partnerships and collaborations with foreign entities, particularly those from Germany. This gap often leads to unbalanced and non-transparent arrangements. For example, differences in labor regulations mean that German workers may be paid according to German standards, while Namibian counterparts, lacking a comparable framework, receive considerably lower remuneration. This lack of clarity also extends to local Namibian collaborators who find it difficult to negotiate fair terms without established guidelines.

The panel emphasized the critical need for transparency on both sides to foster trust and equity. It was also noted that Namibian collaborators must clearly define their objectives and expectations in partnerships, especially when funding originates from external sources, where funders often hold greater influence.

Access to information—including budgets and decision-making processes, is essential to leveling the playing field and ensuring fair collaboration. 

Equally important was a deep urge for Namibians to clearly understand what they want and need before entering collaborations. Knowing and articulating clear objectives is key to ensuring fair and equitable partnerships.

Creatives at the event expressed hope for more inclusivity and open sharing of information regarding collaborative projects, noting that many events tend to circulate within the same groups and are not always accessible to the broader creative community. This is an area identified for improvement moving forward.

The event was attended by over 70 people, including a delegation from the City of Windhoek and representatives from the House of Parliament of Berlin. Additionally, various local stakeholders, creatives and the general public also participated, underscoring the wide interest and investment in the continued partnership between the two cities.

Overall, the event served as both a celebration of 25 years of creative exchange and a call to action for more equitable, transparent, and structured partnerships moving forward between Windhoek and Berlin.

Fair Trade meets Sister Cities

Written by r.lopez on . Posted in Blog.

At the joint network meeting with the Actions Alliance for Fair Trade (Aktionsbündnis Fairer Handel) on 10th April 2025, around 50 committed individuals from civil society, administration and economy sector came together to shed light on fair trade in the context of international city partnerships. With short pitches from Berlin, exciting video contributions from Mexico City, Jakarta and Windhoek as well as intensive workshops, a variety of impulses for sustainable cooperation were generated – locally and globally.

The participants had the opportunity to get to know the work of two Berlin networks, make contacts and jointly generate new ideas.

Whether in Berlin or in the partner cities of the Global South – the issues of sustainable economic activity and fair trade structures are relevant worldwide – and therefore offered plenty of material for an exchange of experiences and the shaping of city partnership cooperation. We approached the topic through short pitches from various Berlin fair trade actors like Karma Kollektiv and the Berlin district of Mitte.

We also gained interesting insights into the understanding of organizations like Mercado Alternativo from Mexico City, Obalihara from Jakarta and Propaganda Collective from Windhoek regarding fair and sustainable economies:

Videos der Sister Cities Jakarta, Mexico City und Windhoek

Stakeholder Meeting in Berlin

Written by r.lopez on . Posted in Blog.

In September 2024 a 12-day stakeholder meeting was held in Berlin with the 7 coordinators from all 4 cities. During the meeting, the main focus was on getting to know each other personally as well as our different contexts and organizations. On this basis, we then held intensive working sessions to gather initial ideas for the content priorities in the three tandems and for the project as a whole..

Workshop at the “24/7 Berlin Global Justice” Conference

The newly founded coordinator team- held a public workshop at the “24/7 Berlin Global Justice” with the broad title “Decolonization and socio-ecological transformation in Jakarta, Mexico City, Windhoek and Berlin”. It brought all four cities into direct dialogue with each other for the first time. The coordinators from the three partner cities presented key challenges in their respective cities. The exchange with each other, but also with the Berlin audience, crystallized where similarities and differences exist, e.g. on topics such as migration, climate impacts and processes of decolonization within urban spaces

Kick-Off Networking Event

We also organized a large kick-off networking event. The event attracted 60 different actors from the fields of education/science, decolonization, sports and culture, climate and environment, district and Berlin state administration as well as some individuals. After we presented the key goals of the model project, a lively exchange took place within the three tandems: Berlin-Mexico City, Berlin-Windhoek, Berlin-Jakarta.

Meeting the State Secretary Mr Biel

In addition to the public events, there were also smaller meetings with civil society actors, a meeting with the State Secretary Mr. Biel from the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises and an evaluation of the entire 12-day stakeholder meeting.

The opportunity to get to know each other personally in Berlin was a great added value for the project, especially so early on in the process. This enabled important foundations and principles of cooperation to be laid (Code of Conduct) and could be successively deepened after the meeting.