Step Up for Change: Dance and theater for decent work
Young people from Germany and Zambia brought momentum to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through dance, theater, poetry, and rap, they advocated for decent work for young people around the world.
The project was developed as part of a youth group exchange of the African-German Youth Office. It was carried out by the organization Don Bosco in cooperation with Tanzhaus Bonn.
Around 300 guests were in Bonn when young people from Zambia and Germany presented their artistic work on stage. It explored Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The performance marked the conclusion of an intensive year-long exchange process between the young hip-hop dancers from Tanzhaus Bonn and young people from the Don Bosco Youth Outreach Lusaka.
„We are different, but still the same“
The German participants traveled to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, in October 2024. They exchanged ideas with Zambian participants about their realities of life and created the first scenes. In April 2025, the Zambian youth group visited Bonn. Supported by the Tanzhaus, the final production was rehearsed here. The project motto “Step Up for Change” became a living reality. Despite cultural differences, shared values and the vision of a more just world with decent work were at the center of attention.
Youth unemployment is very high in Zambia. Almost a quarter of all young people are unemployed. “Many young people like me have the ability and the energy to work. But there are hardly any job opportunities”, said one of the participants. However, the difficulties on the German labor market were also a topic of discussion. The groups exchanged views on their future prospects, global inequalities, and dreams. They learned how they, as global citizens, can contribute to a sustainable and solidarity-based world.
When diverse styles meet creativity
Inspired by their personal stories, they created a stage show in which hip-hop, modern dance, traditional Zambian dances, and poetry merged into an expressive choreography. They were accompanied artistically and dramaturgically by Cindy Kozlewicz and Sandor Krönert from the Tanzhaus Bonn, Kessius Mutale from the Don Bosco Youth Outreach Lusaka, and Friederike Worth from the Don Bosco Mission Bonn in Bonn.
A representative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which financed the youth group exchange, attended the final performance. “I am impressed by the commitment, energy, and creativity with which the young people have tackled this important topic. Never before has a sustainability goal been presented to me in such an entertaining way”, says Michael Angermann enthusiastically. No wonder there was a standing ovation for the artists at the end.
About Teams up!
Teams up! promotes youth exchange between African countries and Germany. It is aimed at youth groups with participants aged 16 to 30 who want to implement joint projects on the Sustainable Development Goals. The youth groups meet both in Germany and in the African partner country, promoting mutual understanding in the spirit of global learning.
