Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Sub-Saharan Africa

08/10/2026

🌱 Little hands, big lessons!

Today marked our third Garden Day at the FNF Africa regional office in Parkview, Johannesburg, where we welcomed Grade R learners from a nearby school for a day of planting, recycling, composting and exploring nature.

Our Parkview office is set up with a sustainability conscious outlook and a strong connection to nature. Garden Day brings that commitment to life by helping children understand that caring for our planet can begin with small, everyday actions.

There were tiny goggas, muddy hands, plenty of laughter and many curious questions. Most importantly, there were valuable lessons that we hope will keep growing. 🌍🌿💚

08/10/2026

In the 1960s, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation began taking its work beyond Germany.

Across Africa, it formed early partnerships focused on civic education, leadership development and democratic participation. The work was not simply about bringing German ideas to Africa, but about working with African institutions and leaders responding to their own societies.

These partnerships laid the foundation for cooperation that continues today.

Explore the full German–African journey:
https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/german-african-story-liberal-ideas-and-action

How has international cooperation shaped your liberal journey? Share your story and tell us what the future of liberalism should look like.

06/10/2026

Every global journey begins somewhere.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s first office was established at Margarethenhöhe in Ittenbach, Germany. From this modest beginning, the Foundation began building its work in political education, civic participation and democratic dialogue.

Today, that work connects people and institutions across countries and continents, but its purpose remains rooted in helping individuals take an active role in shaping free societies.

Explore the journey:
https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/german-african-story-liberal-ideas-and-action

Where did your liberal journey begin? Share it with us and tell us what you believe the future of liberalism should look like.

06/10/2026

A belief in freedom became an institution.

On 19 May 1958, Theodor Heuss and his fellow founders established the Friedrich Naumann Foundation at Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn.

Their vision was to create an intellectual home for liberalism and help citizens participate meaningfully in democracy. What began in Germany would eventually grow into an international network committed to freedom.

Learn more:
https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/german-african-story-liberal-ideas-and-action

Share your liberal journey with us. How has liberalism shaped you over the years, and what should its future look like?

06/10/2026

Save the Date
𝗕𝗗𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗡𝗦 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗔𝗕𝗦!
The Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation are hosting an exclusive luncheon on November 25 as part of the German-African Business Summit 2026 (GABS), with the title “Driving AfCFTA Forward: Establishing the Digital Autobahn for African Free Trade”.
The AfCFTA has the potential to reshape trade across Africa. Yet tariff reductions alone will not create an integrated continental market.
Digital connectivity, efficient cross-border payments, interoperable systems and harmonised rules will be equally decisive.
We will discuss how digital solutions can reduce trade barriers, accelerate border procedures and create new opportunities for African and German businesses.
📅 25 November 2026 | 12:30–14:00
📍 Kempinski Gold Coast, Accra, Ghana
👉 Submit your expression of interest by November 18: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/vp4hrVibHN
Please note that we will only be able to confirm participation after the deadline for the expression of interest has passed.

02/10/2026

Before the Friedrich Naumann Foundation was established, a growing liberal movement was already asking important questions about citizenship, democracy and political participation.

This artwork captures part of that journey between 1900 and 1919, a period that shaped Friedrich Naumann’s ideas about political education and the responsibility of citizens in public life.

More than a century later, the question remains: how do we keep liberalism relevant in a changing world?

Explore the full German–African journey:
https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/german-african-story-liberal-ideas-and-action

Share your liberal journey with us over the years and tell us what you think the future of liberalism should be.

02/10/2026

One lifetime of evolving liberal ideas.

These images show Friedrich Naumann as a young man and later in life. His thinking developed as the world around him changed, but one belief remained: democracy needs informed citizens who are willing to participate.

His journey reminds us that liberalism cannot stand still. Every generation must interpret, defend and carry it forward.

Learn more about this German–African story of liberal ideas and action:
https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/german-african-story-liberal-ideas-and-action

What has your liberal journey looked like over the years? Share it with us and tell us what you think the future of liberalism should look like.

16/09/2026

What happens when communities stop trusting the partners promising them security?

A new policy brief from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation examines the changing relationship between Europe, the Sahel and West Africa. It reveals that 61% of respondents across Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Senegal and Togo see more disadvantages than advantages in foreign security cooperation.

But rebuilding trust remains possible—through listening, local investment, visible results and partnerships grounded in dignity.

What role could Germany play? Where should Europe invest? What could happen if the EU disengages?

Download the publication and explore the findings: https://www.freiheit.org/publikation/sahel-dilemma-re-engage-or-withdraw



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Que se passe-t-il lorsque les populations ne font plus confiance aux partenaires qui leur promettent la sécurité ?

Une nouvelle publication de la Fondation Friedrich Naumann analyse l’évolution des relations entre l’Europe, le Sahel et l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Elle révèle que 61 % des personnes interrogées en Côte d’Ivoire, au Niger, au Sénégal et au Togo voient plus d’inconvénients que d’avantages dans la coopération sécuritaire étrangère.

La confiance peut néanmoins être reconstruite grâce à l’écoute, aux investissements locaux, aux résultats visibles et au respect de la dignité.

Quel rôle l’Allemagne pourrait-elle jouer ? Où l’Europe devrait-elle investir ? Quelles seraient les conséquences d’un désengagement européen ?

Téléchargez la publication pour découvrir les analyses et recommandations : https://www.freiheit.org/fr/node/53913

14/09/2026

The Namatai Kwekweza Lecture Tour 2026 has officially begun in Stellenbosch.

Speaking on MEMENTO: Memory, Hope, and the Birth of a New Order, Namatai Kwekweza led an important conversation on democracy, human rights, youth leadership and Africa’s place in a changing world.

A recipient of the 2025 German Africa Prize, Namatai continues to inspire young people to think critically and take an active role in shaping more inclusive and democratic societies.

The lecture was hosted with Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Student Life and Learning, in collaboration with the International Youth Think Tank and WELEAD Africa, with support from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

Thank you to everyone who joined. The recording will be shared soon.

11/09/2026