A new perspective

Gabriele De Bona (ELM Gender Officer) and Bertha Munkhondya (Pastor and General Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi) explored Hanover - and discovered exciting places from a completely new perspective.

Their tour began with the colourful "Nanas" by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. The pair noticed that this is one of the few examples of women depicted in Hanover's sculptures.

From there, the route continued to the Leine. They were particularly fascinated by the Leine wave, which has been attracting surfers to the centre of the city since 2023. On the walk towards the state parliament, they also passed a work of art and the interesting plane trees.

Directly in front of the state parliament, they discovered Hannah Arendt Square, named after the well-known publicist, philosopher and political scientist. A highlight was the subsequent visit to the state parliament itself, where they were also able to take a look inside the plenary chamber.

The stop at the Ägidienkirche memorial, which commemorates war and its victims, was thought-provoking. The next stop was less heavy, but architecturally impressive: the striking NORD/LB building.

The walk through Hanover not only offered many interesting impressions, but also a lively exchange about the culture and history of the city - and thus opened up a very special perspective.

Are pastors like shepherds?

Hermannsburg, Heath, Heidschnucken ...

Gabriele De Bona (ELM Gender Officer) and Bertha Munkhondya (Pastor and General Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi) explored the heath near Hermannsburg - and also saw heather sheep, which led to philosophical questions: Are pastors like shepherds and is that actually a beautiful image?

Incidentally, Bertha Munkhondya took part in Thursdays in Black with her dark clothing.

Bertha Munkhondya and Gabriele De Bona in Geneva

Visit to the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation

Berta and Gabriele's last stop on their trip was Geneva. There they visited the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. The topics were children's rights and gender equality. There was also time to explore the international city. The programme included the Reformation Monument and the Jet d'Eau - a very high fountain in Lake Geneva.

Interview: Bertha Munkhondya, how was the journey?

Hanover - Hermannsburg - Geneva

What expectations did you have when you started your journey?

I had many expectations, especially to meet different people. I also hoped for deeper discussions on gender justice and gender-based violence.
During Gabriele's last visit to Malawi, we had time, but not enough. So my first thought was: "How can we make the most of the gender justice programme?" That was my most important goal. Another wish was to expand my network, as the programme offered numerous activities in which I could participate and which greatly enriched my visit to Germany.

How was your trip?

My trip was really good. Every trip inspires in different ways. Sometimes you are surprised, sometimes you gain new experiences. For me, this trip was particularly enriching because it offered exactly the kind of experiences you would hope for from a trip like this. It was fantastic.

What will you take away from the trip for the future?

For the future, I am taking with me above all the commitment and dedication to combat gender-based violence, promote gender equality and strengthen partnerships. As churches, we need each other, even if we work in different contexts. Our mission is the same: to proclaim the gospel.
As we proclaim the gospel, we should also create spaces and environments where the people we speak to are safe and respected. That's why it's so important to reduce gender-based violence and empower women so that all people can feel comfortable in the world.
I also learnt a lot from the meetings with prominent representatives of the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. These meetings were crucial in expanding our network and learning how we can better handle different situations, both in church mission and in the area of gender justice.