Stories by region: Europe

Omar Alkadamani fled to Germany from Syria as a child. He knows exactly how important the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 ‘Quality education’ is – for him personally and for every country that strives for a better future.

What does German feminist development policy mean? akzente asked international activists to share their thoughts with us.

BMZ adopted its feminist development policy strategy a few months ago. Annette Mummert explains why this is important and what it means for GIZ’s work.

Lviv, revisited: In 2020, akzente spoke with its mayor Andriy Sadovyi for the first time. Since the Russian invasion, his world is a different one.

David Miliband is President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an NGO devoted to providing lifesaving aid in serious crises. In this interview with akzente, the former British Foreign Secretary talks about humanitarian hotspots, the global refugee situation and why internally displaced people tend to be overlooked.

Menstruation is still a taboo subject. GIZ is working with local influencers to change this. Girls and women around the world should be able to experience menstruation in a healthy way.

When Russia launched its war of aggression on Ukraine, GIZ was able to provide rapid and effective assistance because of our presence throughout the country. Since then, we have been combining rapid assistance with reconstruction and advice on reforms. By Daniel Busche, GIZ Country Director in Ukraine

Since fleeing to Germany, the Ukrainian psychiatrist and psychotherapist Valentyna Mazhbits has been working at the Berlin Charité for the Solomiya Hospital Partnership project to support psychiatric hospitals in her homeland (Solomiya means ‘peace’ in Ukrainian).

A skilled workforce is needed for the transition to a low-carbon economy and successful introduction of new technologies. The Egyptian German Technical Academy shows how good training and quality education go hand in hand with responsibility for our planet.

Monika Egerer is a professor at the Technical University of Munich. Her research explores what a healthy urban climate could look like. akzente asked her about the importance of urban ecosystems in the Global North and South, and how they benefit society.

Scientists at Chittagong Medical College Hospital on the Bay of Bengal and Frankfurt University Hospital share a fascination for snakes. Under a hospital partnership, they are working and learning together, so that more snakebite victims can be saved. A contribution to global health. 

Franziska Schmülling describes her work as social media specialist in GIZ’s Corporate Communications Unit.