Off to Europe. Migration - one of the major challenges of the 21st century

Reading and discussion on migration in Africa and to Europe. In focus: The initial situations in the countries of origin and transit, as well as conditions for returning to some African countries

When	May 26, 2025 from 07:30 PM to 09:30 PM
Where	Catholic Academy of the Archdiocese of Freiburg
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Journalist Bartholomäus Grill has reported from African countries for around four decades. In his 2021 book ‘Africa! A look back at the future of a continent', published in 2021, he combines a look back at his long career as a reporter with highlights of current developments on the African continent. In this way, he draws attention to continuities, ruptures and success stories, but also to dashed hopes and worsening crises. Without falling into the usual narrative of a perspective focussed solely on disasters, Grill vividly highlights the current challenges facing some African countries, such as climate change, poverty, war, migration and terrorism.

In the first part of the event, Bartholomäus Grill will read from his book, focussing on the topic of migration to Europe. In doing so, he presents the facts and corrects some of the common myths put forward by right-wing populists in particular.

In the second part of the event, Franzisca Zanker, head of the ‘Flight and Migration’ research cluster at the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI) at the University of Freiburg, will discuss the topic of migration in Africa and to Europe with Bartholomäus Grill, Daniela Evers MdL, Laura Lambert and Yahya Sonko. The discussion will focus on the initial situation in the countries of origin and transit as well as the conditions for returning to some African countries. The discussion is thus intended to contribute to a careful and differentiated assessment of a very complex problem situation.

Contributors:

Bartholomäus Grill (Author, Cape Town)

and

Daniela Evers MdL (The Greens, Freiburg)
Laura Lambert (Leuphana University, Lüneburg)
Yahya Sonko (Gambia European Centre for Jobs Migration and Development Agency, Stuttgart)

Leader of the discussion:
Josef Mackert (Catholic Academy, Freiburg)
Franzisca Zanker (Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI), Freiburg)

Admission free. Click here to register.
The livestream will be available on the day of the event on the homepage of the Catholic Academy. No link will be sent.

In cooperation with the Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institute, the Catholic Academy of the Archdiocese of Freiburg and the Heinrich Böll Foundation Baden-Württemberg.

An event poster is available as a PDF.

This event is also part of a programme series celebrating the 5th anniversary of the ACT!