weltwärts celebrates 15 years of international volunteer service
This year, weltwärts is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the biggest international volunteer service for young people. Promoting development-related engagement, global learning and working in partnership on an equal footing has been a core focus of the programme since its inception. weltwärts brings people together from Germany, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania and Eastern Europe, strengthening international cooperation.
The start of the anniversary year was marked by the 12th open weltwärts stakeholder conference. From 31 March to 1 April, 160 representatives from the weltwärts joint operation convened at the Gustav Stresemann Institute in Bonn. After 15 years of the weltwärts programme, those involved looked back on the start of the programme, celebrated their mutual successes and commended each other on the challenges they had overcome. The attendees exchanged knowledge and experiences across several workshops.
weltwärts South-North: an anniversary within an anniversary
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the South-North component of the weltwärts programme. Not only do our volunteers from the North travel to the South, but also vice versa. Every year, hundreds of volunteers from Colombia, Bolivia, South Africa and other countries travel to complete their service with organisations in Germany. Studies carried out on both programme components demonstrate that participating has a lasting impact on volunteers and helps them to develop personally.
In his keynote speech, Benjamin Haas, an academic who had been invited to speak, praised how both the North-South and South-North components have become crucial parts of the weltwärts programme. Representatives from the weltwärts joint operation were also very positive about the South-North exchange component and expressed a desire to see it develop and expand.
15 years: looking back on key moments in weltwärts history
-
![]()
Christine de Barros Said (BMZ) and Lourens de Jong (Ventao) provide an insight into the weltwärts programme’s milestones -
![]()
Attendees look back on weltwärts moments they still remember after 15 years. -
![]()
Attendees look back on weltwärts moments they still remember after 15 years. -
![]()
Some of the attendees at the open weltwärts stakeholder conference took part in weltwärts themselves and are now helping to manage the programme. -
![]()
Sometimes large-scale challenges are best solved at the local level. Bernhard Kühn from the German Red Cross sending organisation Volunta in Hesse reports on his collaboration with the South African embassy. -
![]()
Revelling in memories: attendees form small groups and share their favourite moments from 15 years of weltwärts. -
![]()
The workshops are always the most popular part of the conference: in small groups, questions are answered directly and all the stakeholders get a chance to share tips.
-
![]()
Christine de Barros Said (BMZ) and Lourens de Jong (Ventao) provide an insight into the weltwärts programme’s milestones -
![]()
Attendees look back on weltwärts moments they still remember after 15 years. -
![]()
Attendees look back on weltwärts moments they still remember after 15 years. -
![]()
Some of the attendees at the open weltwärts stakeholder conference took part in weltwärts themselves and are now helping to manage the programme. -
![]()
Sometimes large-scale challenges are best solved at the local level. Bernhard Kühn from the German Red Cross sending organisation Volunta in Hesse reports on his collaboration with the South African embassy. -
![]()
Revelling in memories: attendees form small groups and share their favourite moments from 15 years of weltwärts. -
![]()
The workshops are always the most popular part of the conference: in small groups, questions are answered directly and all the stakeholders get a chance to share tips.
The stakeholder conference and four partner conferences all take place on an annual basis, enabling people to meet in person and strengthen their cooperation. This is what makes the weltwärts programme unique: those involved are regularly given a platform to help shape the programme.
In total, there are 130 active sending organisations within the North-South component. Young people’s interest in volunteer service is as high as ever. Now that the coronavirus pandemic has eased, the number of volunteers travelling to the Global South as part of the weltwärts programme has returned to around 2,500. Since 2008, almost 50,000 volunteers have taken part in the weltwärts programme.
Turning up the volume
-
![]()
Turning up the volume for the weltwärts programme’s 15th anniversary. A band of percussionists gave the attendees a crash course in drumming -
![]()
The weltwärts representatives clearly had fun drumming and making music. -
![]()
The weltwärts representatives clearly had fun celebrating and drumming -
![]()
The programme is turning 15. The attendees were surprised with a joint music-making activity.
-
![]()
Turning up the volume for the weltwärts programme’s 15th anniversary. A band of percussionists gave the attendees a crash course in drumming -
![]()
The weltwärts representatives clearly had fun drumming and making music. -
![]()
The weltwärts representatives clearly had fun celebrating and drumming -
![]()
The programme is turning 15. The attendees were surprised with a joint music-making activity.
The celebrations continue: weltwärts festival in Göttingen
From 31 May to 4 June, the weltwärts festival will transform Göttingen into a meeting place of volunteers and alumni and provide a stage for celebrating and honouring the dedication of all involved. Attendees can expect a varied programme to get involved in, including athletic and cultural elements but, above all, the opportunity to develop new engagement ideas to help us create a more sustainable world.