At a simultaneous founding meeting in Windhoek and Swakopmund, members of the German language group launched the Forum of German-speaking Namibians (FDN). This follows the multiple postponements of the establishment of this targeted corporation as a result of the Corona regulations.
Last Thursday evening, numerous members of the German language group from Swakopmund and Windhoek as well as other electronically connected participants from the country were able to establish the “Forum of German Speaking Namibians”. This follows the appointment of a relevant steering committee for the purpose of establishing such a body in August 2019 (AZ reported).
After several postponements of the foundation as a result of the corona pandemic, the steering committee decided at the beginning of the year to carry out the constitution in compliance with the corona regulations. Thus the premises – the community center of the evangelical congregation of the DELK in Windhoek and the lecture hall of the museum in Swakopmund (Scientific Society Swakopmund) – were electronically networked with each other at the same time through sound and images.
Those present in both rooms were able to follow the speakers and ask questions. An interactive and full-fledged founding meeting was thus achieved, at which the participants could at the same time approve the forum’s statutes, select the logo and appoint the first forum board of the Forum German-speaking Namibians (FDN).
Those present, most of whom had immediately registered as founding members, received a briefing about the preamble and objectives, about the background and the approach to the forum. From initiatives of the Swakopmund discussion group and the Namibian-German Foundation (NaDS) – the latter was the sponsor of the Goethe Center in Windhoek for many years until the full-fledged Goethe Institute emerged from it – and other interested parties had formed a joint steering committee, which finally despite Corona -Restrictions, gave shape and form to the forum.
Love & loyalty to Namibia
German-speaking Namibians have thus gained a corporate voice. They want to proceed according to the preamble of the forum: “Aware of civic responsibility and out of love and loyalty to Namibia, it is the endeavor of the FORUM GERMAN-SPEAKING NAMIBIANS – within the multitude of language and cultural groups of Namibia – to participate effectively and meaningfully in public affairs in the country to get involved as an integral part of Namibian society for the benefit of the country and its people. ”
The founding assembly confirmed or appointed the first board of the FDN. While expecting and taking into account some practical challenges in the transition period, four of the future seven board members have already been appointed by the steering committee: Harald Hecht and Carola von Blottnitz from Windhoek, Anton von Wietersheim and Raimar von Hase from Swakopmund.
The assembled founding members appointed three more board members, whereby the first board consists of the above four people as well as Monica Nambelela and Benita Herma (both from Windhoek) and Monika von Wietersheim from Swakopmund. The four appointed board members initially only serve for one year, but can stand for re-election at the annual general meeting. There were, however, only the three nominations, which made the formal election unnecessary.
FDN is well represented
Each board member introduced himself briefly. It emerged from this that the management of the forum had considerable expertise and broad experience in the following areas: agriculture, finance, politics, social affairs, “building bridges between human beings” and women’s rights, as well as education, trade and economics.
When attorney Andreas Vaatz briefly presented the articles of association at the beginning of the meeting, the first ideas arose as to how the forum can make a positive contribution to the Namibian community – and this also brought initial reactions. It seems as if the FDN could in the future bring about alliances with other cultural groups.
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