Event Review: African Leadership for a Sustainable Future - Stories to Inspire
This year’s Storytelling Event «African Leadership for a Sustainable Future: Stories to Inspire» marked a memorable evening at ETH Zurich during the Sustainability Week Zurich. The event, co-organised by the African Students Association of Zurich (ASAZ), the Student Project House (SPH) and ETH4D, was joined by 50 students and researchers. We tapped into the power of storytelling to spark inspiration and create new connections.
Five inspiring speakers shared personal stories behind their commitment to global sustainable development and what drives them in their research. Gathered in the Student Project House event space, a cheerful and vibrant audience was seated in every possible niche. With the start of the event, the spirited chattiness of the audience quickly changed into curious silence.
Singer and songwriter Amaru Küng, accompanied by her husband Johannes Küng on the guitar, kicked off the event with uplifting tunes and took us on a musical journey throughout the evening.
With his story, Mosisa Wakjira, a doctoral student at the Hydrology and Water Resources Management Group at D-BAUG, let us follow part of his life’s journey shaped by his sister’s selfless decision to let him go to school instead of herself. This allowed him to embark on a different path than that of becoming a farmer. Today, he works as a researcher to find solutions to the effects of climate change on agriculture, hoping to make a positive contribution not only to the lives of his own family but also to the lives of many farmers in Ethiopia affected by climate change.
Salome Räuschel, a student at the Life Science Zurich Graduate School at UZH, who was raised in Mannheim in two very different cultures, German and Ethiopian, shared her personal life motto of adaptability inspired by her family. By adapting effectively and meaningfully, by connecting and reaching out to people in any new setting, one can become more authentic in what she called the mosaic of life.
The third storyteller, Olayinka Aremu, is a doctoral student at the Food Systems Economics and Policy Group at D-USYS. He spoke about how he deals with constantly being asked “What do you want to do next in life?” – a question relatable to many. He has now arrived at the conclusion that living in the moment puts him at ease, as he is living an even bigger dream than anything he could have imagined when he was first confronted with this question in primary school.
Kenza Benabderrazik is a Lecturer and Outreach Project Coordinator for the Sustainable Agroecosystems Group at D-USYS. After Morocco won fourth place in the FIFA World Cup 2022, she felt an unexpected feeling of pride, urging her to reflect on representation and acknowledgment in academia: How would it feel to see the faces of influential scientists of any heritage or gender up on the walls at the main building of ETH Zurich?
During the event's conclusion, Fatma Abdi took the stage as the final storyteller of the evening. As a doctoral student at the Drug Formulation and Delivery Group at D-CHAB, Fatma is also one of the co-founders and current cultural diversity advisor of the Wall of Scientists. This initiative challenges our unconscious biases of “what a scientist should look like “by showcasing unfamiliar/forgotten scientists from diverse cultures and genders while embracing the familiar ones. Fatma shared her personal experiences with discrimination during her education and highlighted the importance of the supportive network of people she encountered, from family to professionals, who never questioned her abilities based on how she looked like.
We thank all speakers for sharing their stories!