With its special support programme called CrossCulture Internships Afghanistan, the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations, ifa) shows its commitment to reconstruction in Afghanistan in its capacity as a partner of the German Federal Foreign Office. The programme offers young workers and committed volunteers the opportunity to expand their areas of professional competence and gather intercultural experience through a stay in Germany – also with the objective of enhancing the capacities for peace in civil society.

Aims of the Funding Programme
The internships give young people from Afghanistan the chance to gain qualifications in the context of their fields of activity.
Besides this primary objective of vocational and specialist qualification, the participants also gain an overview of structures as well as professional contacts in Germany, whom they can use for future co-operation after returning to their own country. This will also strengthen the formation of networks between organisations in Germany and Afghanistan.
Furthermore, involvement in the vocational structure and everyday life helps the participants to acquire intercultural experience, which can benefit them in relation to their work in the future.

Areas of Emphasis and Target Groups
• Development of civil society and democratisation
• Legal dialogue and human rights
• Economic and development cooperation
• Medical care
• Media

Internships are offered in the areas of work listed above by virtue of their key position in building up stabilising structures in a constitutional state.
The groups targeted are therefore young workers and committed volunteers in different areas of civil society as well as multipliers from core areas of political and social reconstruction.

The individually needs-oriented concept makes CrossCulture Internships Afghanistan ideally suited to assisting and supporting Afghan candidates in the acquisition of know-how, work techniques and experience in their specific fields of activity.

The CrossCulture Internships Afghanistan programme is a flexible instrument that can benefit multipliers from different priority areas of Germany’s contribution to the reconstruction of Afghanistan.

Organisation of the Internship
CrossCulture Internships last up to three months and are specified individually according to needs and availability. Depending on the requirements of the candidates, the internships are complemented by a profession or subject specific framework programme – such as individual visits or opportunities for meetings – during the stay in Germany.

The announcement of the CrossCulture Internships together with sending detailed information concerning participation criteria and arrangements is carried out by the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations in Stuttgart with the assistance of the German Embassy in Kabul.

Preconditions for taking part in the CrossCulture Internships Afghanistan programme are a membership in a relevant organisation or institution and a fair knowledge of English.
The interns’ travel expenses and costs for staying in Germany are covered by the project funds.

The CrossCulture Internships Afghanistan programme is supported by funding from the Federal Foreign Office.