Book presentation “Friendship Bench” mit Prof. Dr. Dixon Chibanda
13. Jun. 2025
Join Us for a Book Presentation & Discussion! “The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired a Mental Health Revolution”
Friedensau Adventist University invites you to a book presentation titled:
“The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired a Mental Health Revolution” on Sunday, June 22, 2025, 6 p.m., in the auditorium, An der Ihle 2, 39291 Möckern-Friedensau.
Interested residents, visitors and people looking for a chat or information on how The Friendship Bench (FB) works will have an opportunity to connect with FB counselors (some in training) between 15:00 to 17:30 on designated benches on the campus grounds.
“Friendship Bench” is a culturally sensitive counseling approach for people in difficult personal situations or people who are simply looking for a conversation. The most unique aspect is that the counselors are trained laypeople. In its original form, Friendship Bench was and is offered by grandmothers, particularly in the country of origin, Zimbabwe. There are now numerous similar initiatives around the world.
Prof. Dr. Dixon Chibanda, the founder of Friendship Bench, in his book “The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired a Mental Health Revolution” tells the story of the project, as well as his goals and visions: to make “Friendship Bench” available everywhere free of charge and within walking distance”.
Friendship Bench has been available in Germany since April 2025. (We reported about the April 3, 2025, kick-off event in the university auditorium).
The Friendship Bench counseling approach at Friedensau Adventist University is offered in person and online by two trained FB counselors, Prof. Dr. Dr. Silvia Hedenigg and Prof. Andreas Bochmann (Ph.D.). An English-speaking group of international students is currently being trained and at the end of June 2025, a group of students and university staff will begin training in German.
Friedensau was founded in 1899 as a missionary and industrial school. Today, Friedensau Adventist University of Theology continues the tradition as a university sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Our Schools of Social Sciences and Theology offer ten Study Programs, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of arts (M.A.), part-time or online that are all state-recognized. Prospective students can register for online information days and taster days on our website - https://www.thh-friedensau.de - and get to know life in the lecture hall and on campus.
Image Rights: FAU
