AfrikAktiv e.V (AAeV) is a german based registered non-profit organisation that represents the needs, concerns, interests, and aspirations of African Diaspora in Germany, Europe and beyond.

Since its inception in 2007, thousands networks of African Diaspora, amongst other German, and organisations promoting the African Cultural Values and partnerships from the 54 African countries and African Diaspora communities have been part of the Platform, working for the promotion of equal opportunities and aiming to give the African Diaspora a voice in Germany, Europe and beyond

The African Diaspora plays a vital and transformative role in shaping both local communities around the world and the future of Africa. Spread across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and beyond, the diaspora represents a powerful network of talent, knowledge, and cultural influence.

Through entrepreneurship, education, innovation, and cultural exchange, Africans in the diaspora contribute significantly to economic growth and social development in their countries of residence while maintaining strong ties to the African continent.

At AAeV, we recognize the African Diaspora as a strategic partner in advancing sustainable development, empowering youth, and building a connected global African community.

AAeV builds a structural collaboration between the African Diaspora and the African Continent through contribution and research in order to safeguard African excellence and innovation in cultural research.

Learn more about our history and our current work.

Our History

Background

In her 2007 communication, “African Culture in Germany: Mobilizing the Lovers of African Culture to Share and Celebrate,” the founder, Dr. Susan Tatah, recognized the vital role that African culture can play in fostering better integration of the African Diaspora in Germany.

Building on this vision, her academic journey at the ESB Business School, Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences further deepened this perspective. Through her Master’s research on the topic “How to Promote African Culture through Festivals,” she identified a growing interest in Africa’s cultural sector. At the same time, she reflected on her own limited access to in-depth knowledge about her cultural heritage and observed how one-sided narratives continued to shape the global image of Africa.

Motivated by these insights, and guided by her background as a business scholar, she began exploring how culture can be used as a transformative tool to reshape perceptions, influence narratives, and contribute to the development of a nation.

In 2007, together with a group of committed peers, she founded the Cameroon North West Development Association (CNDA e.V.) in Reutlingen. In the same year, she launched the first Afrika Festival Reutlingen, held from 10–12 August 2007 at the Bruderhausgelände.

As the initiative evolved, the organization was renamed Kamerun Kultur, and later, in 2012, officially became AfrikAktiv e.V., reflecting a broader and more inclusive African vision as stated in its constitution.

AfrikAktiv e.V.’s declaration emphasizes the importance of development cooperation through culture (Entwicklungszusammenarbeit) positioning cultural exchange, education, and community engagement at the heart of its mission.