Activist, musician and lover of life, from Burkina Faso

Ezekiel Nikiema: A good friend of mine learnt German in lower secondary. Whenever we did our homework together, I would hear him speaking this foreign language but I couldn't understand a word of it. When I went to upper secondary, I was also given the chance to learn it, so I did. Unlike French, which is the official language in Burkina Faso and thus compulsory in schools, I chose to learn German. Maybe that's why I enjoyed learning the language more, right from the beginning.

Ezekiel Nikiema: It is true, but the lecture theatres were too crowded for me. (He laughs.) No, my music and people have always been my main motivation. I wanted to see the world, make music, meet people and work with them.
Learning a language also means experiencing a different culture. My German studies felt like a big step in the right direction. In Burkina Faso, you can teach in private language schools with a Bachelor's degree. That is also a great way to learn another culture and, for me, was significantly more interesting than a well-paid but tough job as a solicitor or manager.

Ezekiel Nikiema: Kind of. When I first started at university, I heard that DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) was awarding scholarships to students to travel to Germany. I wanted one of those scholarships! So, I worked really hard from day one and was consistently one of the best students. Then I applied for a scholarship. Unfortunately, they turned me down. That was a real knock-back after spending months putting in 100%, and it robbed my motivation. Instead of concentrating on uni work, I kept going back to my music and shortly afterwards I won a tour round France after taking part in a music competition. A friend of mine from our group of German students at the Goethe Institut extended the tour to include Germany, which is why on my first trip to Germany I was up on stage instead of in a lecture theatre. It turned out that studies weren't the key to making my dreams come true, but my music made two come true at once.

Ezekiel Nikiema: You can only get so much of an idea from afar, but I had read plenty of books, was interested in German artists and already knew a few Germans. As a result, what I expected was very close to the reality I experienced when I got here. At the same time, I quickly got to know German people much better by approaching them on the street and asking them questions. Well, I had to put my language skills to the test. (He laughs.)

Ezekiel Nikiema: The German pace of life is so different to that in Burkina Faso. At home, we have a lot more time on our hands, so we take a lot more time for everything. Clergyman Phil Bosmans once said: "Take your time to be happy. Time is not an express road between cradle and grave. It is a space to park in the sun." I think that is a great description of life in Burkina Faso.

In contrast, the motto in Germany is: "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." It makes life here very productive, but also makes it fast-paced and stressful. I notice that about myself: Even I have to read my e-mails every day, constantly look at the clock, get the bus on time, etc. In Germany, everything has to be perfect – and that can be exhausting at times.

Ezekiel Nikiema: I did get a study place but my visa was delayed. My cases were packed and I waited and waited – until I finally decided to travel here on my artist's visa, which was still valid. Unfortunately, I came up with this idea without asking the German authorities. Although I was allowed to stay in Germany on the artist's visa, I wasn't permitted to attend university.

Ezekiel Nikiema: I must admit, I was shocked and disappointed at the way the German authorities handled things. I simply couldn't understand why they would make it so difficult for someone who was ready and willing to learn the country's language and culture. Without a scholarship, it can be very difficult to gain a foothold in Germany. Unless you have money! Everyone is always talking about globalisation and One World. But if you look at the reality, you soon realise that is a utopian vision.

Ezekiel Nikiema: Nothing happened. The more difficult the circumstances, the more important it is to have a vision. My motto in life is: Nothing is terrible. And if one thing doesn't work, something else will. I stuck to this motto and used the time to focus on other projects.

Ezekiel Nikiema: My music, of course, and the Fondation Warc-en-ciel project, which I work on together with the APECA association to promote education, culture and handicrafts.

I come from a country where 80% of the population are illiterate. Many parents see education as unnecessary, especially for girls, and don't want to send their children to school.

The aim of Fondation Warc-en-ciel is to give everyone who wasn't lucky enough to go to school the opportunity to learn how to read and write and, ideally, to complete vocational training. It offers independence and gives people the chance to shape their lives freely.

Ezekiel Nikiema: You're right. It used to be the case that major tasks were reserved for the 'big guns'. But I come from a generation that has the confidence to just try things.

I see myself as an ambassador of the language of Goethe, which is why I also plan to offer foundation courses for future students of German studies and translation courses.

However, it will take some time to get to that point and to see the results of our work. At the moment, our main priority is finding supporters and funding, collecting donations, etc. I hope to be able to get started properly in a year.

Ezekiel Nikiema: Yes. Just recently, for example, I held a workshop for German schoolchildren on life and music in Burkina Faso. We have fun and play musical instruments – but it's about something much bigger.
Sadly, our world is suffering from a terrible illness: racism and xenophobia. It will only be possible to recover from this illness in the long term if the younger generations come into contact right from the start with things that are unfamiliar and foreign to them. Children aren't like adults. They dare to ask questions and they deal with their inhibitions openly. This allows interaction to happen – people get to know each other and preconceptions are eliminated before they arise.

Ezekiel Nikiema: In my experience, stereotypes and prejudices are sadly far from being a thing of the past. By which I mean both sides are equally guilty. We need to change this and soon. And we need to do it together. The current refugee crisis underscores the urgent need for intercultural exchange and highlights its growing importance. I live in Dresden at the moment, where xenophobia and racism unfortunately are not rare occurrences. A lot of people have a specific idea of what people are like who move from a different country to Germany and it's only after speaking to them in person that they realise: "Oh, they're not all stupid, bad and here to molest our women."

Ezekiel Nikiema: To answer this question we first need to define what culture is. For me, culture is a way of living. It's everything that you have in common with the people around you. The language, the music, the dance, the way you act – your whole existence within this group, within your cultural circle.

We all need to understand that we are not the centre of the universe and that our culture is not the only culture and certainly not the one true culture.

Ezekiel Nikiema: Exactly. Martin Luther King once said: "Before I go to work in the mornings, I realise how much I need the whole world after all. I drink coffee from Africa, brush my teeth with a toothbrush from China and shower under a shower head that comes from somewhere else entirely."

The world of today is not the same as it once was, where it was every man for himself and people could get by alone. We need to recognise this and finally start working together.

Ezekiel Nikiema: These kinds of initiatives are important and urgently necessary. For their work to be successful, initiators and global stakeholders alike must be aware of their necessity and goals. Then everyone can pull together and work towards common goals, step by step.

At the same time, conferences and discussions are not enough – we need specific courses of action to emerge from dialogue, too. Sunday's discussions must lead to Monday's actions – without one, the other cannot function.

Ezekiel Nikiema: My music is a big part of me. "Music stays on when every other part of me is gone", and without it I would not be where I am today. Music is a special language with which you can speak to and inspire people in equal measure worldwide. The biggest proof of this is the band I play in, Banda Internationale. The band's musicians originate from diverse countries and merge together their own personal and cultural styles to form a unique international mix, in the truest sense of the word. (Ed.: to find out more about the project, visit www.banda-internationale.de)

And, of course, the language of the songs you sing can send a strong message, too. While I was still in Burkina Faso I spent a lot of time studying lyrics by German musicians and I also sing in German myself – in the typically German 'Schlager' pop style, for example!

Ezekiel Nikiema: They are surprised at first as they don't expect German Schlager music when I come onto the stage. But then, after the initial shock, there is an instant connection. German audiences – yes, I also still think in stereotypes occasionally – are usually quite reserved at first. Then I say to them: Let's do this 50:50. I'll provide the music, you provide the dancing. I show them a few steps and they dance along. That's when it turns into a successful intercultural exchange! (He laughs.)