AHA Dinner Event: bringing the next generation of young leaders together across borders

It was a special honour and pleasure to welcome Mr Ibrahima Coulibaly, President of the Pan-African Farmers’ Organisation (PAFO), who inspired attendees with his words. The evening was hosted by Katharina von Rümker and Maren Clausen, participants in the 50th TOP Kurs, who devised the evening with great joy and attention to detail. Their multilingual welcome speech – first in French, then in English – was very much appreciated by the international guests.

One highlight of the evening was the opportunity for guests to change tables after each course in order to strike up new conversations. This enabled each participant to experience diverse perspectives and exciting insights into farming as much in Germany as in various African countries.

During the course of the evening, Hilke Vespermann and Roselyn Kasunda shared the experiences that they had gained during the TOP Kurs or YLIP, as applicable. Although the 50th TOP Kurs only started in early January 2025, Hilke Verspermann explained that the participants had already gained many experiences, grown together as a group and developed their individual personalities. Roselyn Kasunda was part of the first YLIP course several years ago and reported on how the programme has changed and strengthened her. Today, she successfully runs a large beekeeping business in Malawi and has experienced major growth in both her personal life and her business. In Berlin, she took part in the International Youth Farmers’ Forum as part of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture. She also had the opportunity to share her insights at Green Week 2025 and the German African Agribusiness Forum.

A moment full of joy and harmony rounded off the evening when the 50th TOP Kurs together with the guests sang the song “Ein Hoch auf Uns” by Andreas Bourani.

The international discussions and the warm atmosphere made this event unforgettable for participants and has created lasting connections. It was a wonderful evening that highlighted the potential of global exchange and empowerment of young people in the agricultural sector.