Workshops, debates and live music: until Saturday, 13 July, the "Highdigenous Live! The Festival of Amazement" is taking place on the campus. Under the motto "Marvelling together, expanding perspectives, overcoming boundaries", the festival invites visitors on a fascinating journey through music, architecture, education and work in the Sahel region. The event is sponsored by the Cultural Office of the City of Paderborn and the LWL Cultural Foundation as part of the (Post-)Colonialism programme. Interested parties can visit the festival free of charge and without registration, although ticket reservations are required for individual events. Further information on the programme can be found on the festival website.
"With the festival, we not only want to actively promote a critical examination of colonial structures, but also cultural understanding. I am delighted to welcome guests from the Sahel region who will enrich the exchange with authentic insights and practical knowledge," says Prof Dr Martin Schneider from the Chair of Human Resources Management at Paderborn University and Chairman of the Paderborn-based association "Kabakoo - Houses of Amazement". He organises the festival together with Dr. Yanick Kemayou. "During my time as a student, I not only developed my knowledge, but also a deep connection to Paderborn University. Back then, I understood the inestimable value of exchange between generations and cultures - which is the foundation of the festival. Exchange not only opens doors, but also hearts and minds. In a world that is often characterised by borders and prejudices, it is up to all of us to build bridges, share knowledge and learn from each other," says Kemayou, who studied at Paderborn University and holds a doctorate in economics. In 2018, together with Michèle Traoré, he founded the "Kabakoo Academies" with learning centres in Bamako, Mali, among other places.
Street art, sound therapies and VR installations
The festival invites visitors to take part in various workshops and discussion rounds. At lectures on djembe music, the history of Mali or NGO work in Kenya, interested parties can engage in dialogue with academics and students. Several yurts, i.e. tents set up on the campus, will present exhibitions of street art from Tanzania, sound therapies and virtual reality installations with insights into architectural worlds. On Friday at 6 pm, a concert by the salsa band "La Fuente" will take place on the stage at the Audimax. From 8 p.m., the Berlin Big Band Omniversal Earkestra will take the audience on a musical journey to Mali.
Those interested have the opportunity to take part in a guided tour of Paderborn's colonial past on Saturday. The starting point is at 10 am at the town hall. Visitors can also enjoy international sounds at various live concerts on campus. At 6 pm, the documentary film "The White Chief" will be shown in the Studiobühne, followed by a discussion with the director Peter Kees.
