The two-week International Youth Exchange Camp hosted by the Nelson Mandela Museum and the Anne Frank House from Lower Saxony, Germany, is currently underway at the Nelson Mandela Youth and Heritage Centre in Qunu.
Under the theme “Connect & Act,” the camp, set to take place from the 1st to the 14th of April 2025, aims to foster cultural exchange and understanding between the two nations, both of which share a complex and intertwined history
Twenty-year-old Alisha Safyra Kemda Ahoungkeng from Berlin, Germany, told the Express that, for her, this is not just a visit but an opportunity to engage with history, identity, and a sense of belonging she has always longed for.
She said that, as a mixed-race woman who has never been to the African continent before, being in South Africa means so much to her.
“It is an incredibly powerful experience to be in a country where the majority of people are Black, something I’ve never encountered in my life before. It feels like a deep connection to my roots and heritage that I’ve never fully experienced before. Walking in Mandela’s footprints takes on even more significance, as his legacy represents the struggle for justice, equality, and freedom. Being here, in this place shaped by his incredible journey, allows me to reflect on both the personal and collective history that connects me to this continent.”
To enjoy a complete South African experience of diverse cultures and picturesque landscapes, the German delegation will go on excursions to some of the country’s heritage sites, including the Mqhekezweni Great Place, Clarkebury, the Maphuzi Caves, and the Hole in the Wall, as well as a tour of the Constitutional Hill, the Apartheid Museum, and the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum.
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