On 27 September 2025, committed individuals from across the Afghan diaspora will gather in Berlin for a day of exchange, collaboration and new perspectives.  About VAFO: As a non-profit organization, VAFO has been supporting Afghan organizations in Germany and the Afghan diaspora since 2020. Born out of the need to unite the important voices of the diaspora, VAFO serves as a point of contact for member organizations, migrant organizations, politics, and academia. What can you expect? An intensive day of workshops with inspiring discussions, thematic working groups, creative idea processes and plenty of opportunity for networking. Whether women's rights, research or LGBTQ+ issues – your voice counts! Together, we will develop visions that will have an impact beyond the day itself and be reflected in politics, the media and society. Why should you attend? Because sustainable change begins with cooperation. The summit offers you the opportunity to play an active role in shaping a strong, connected diaspora that confidently represents its interests. Featuring: music, culture, committed members of the Afghan diaspora in Germany. Moderator: Rudaba Badakshi   Program: 09:15 – Arrival10:00 – Welcome by VAFO and partners10:45 – 12:30 – Formation of thematic working groups (for and with the diaspora)12:30 – 13:30 – Lunch break with music13:30 – 15:30 – Continued work in the groups (for and with the diaspora)15:45 – 16:30 – Closing session in plenaryfrom 16:30 – Networking & closing with music – open to external stakeholders

The Future Forum is the European Union’s flagship conference on diaspora engagement, offering a unique space to: Connect and network across sectors and regions Explore how intersectional identities shape inclusive diaspora engagement Showcase diaspora-led development stories and practices Over the course of one dynamic day, you will take part in interactive discussions, collaborative brainstorming sessions, and dedicated networking opportunities. The Future Forum will also feature a series of side events hosted with EUDiF partners and beneficiaries, highlighting capacity development and the principles of inclusivity. The event will be held in English and French, with interpretation available throughout.

Strengthening Transnational Dialogue and Mobilizing Diaspora Support in a Rapidly Changing Landscape  DEMAC is hosting a closed-door 2-day Afghan Diaspora Conference on 20th and 21st October 2025 in Geneva.  The conference will be a timely opportunity to unpack, spotlight and facilitate discussions on the constructive role of the diaspora in mobilizing support for Afghanistan’s relief and development efforts, while reflecting on successful collaborations, new alliances, partnerships, mechanisms and modalities for engagement in times of shrinking institutional aid.  Why is this conference relevant? The global humanitarian landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Shrinking institutional funding, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and protracted crises are reshaping how aid is mobilized and delivered. Afghanistan is in particular enduring a prolonged humanitarian crisis, deeply intertwined with the economic shock and the abrupt stop of bilateral development assistance triggered by the takeover in August 2021. The recent US funding halt is anticipated to significantly affect Afghanistan, as it accounted for 43.9% of reported humanitarian funding in 2024 and provided approximately 60% of the funds committed by February 3 for the country's 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). Additionally, dire economic conditions, climate-related and natural disasters, limited healthcare access, high levels of protracted internal displacement and forced returns from neighboring countries, continue to impact communities. In this rapidly evolving landscape, where innovative and locally led responses are much needed, diaspora organizations can serve as key actors to provide complementary support in places where formal systems struggle to reach. Anchored in their cultural knowledge, community trust, and transnational networks—diaspora actors offer support to flexible, fast, and locally informed response, often reaching communities that remain inaccessible to traditional actors. What will the participants experience over the two days: The Afghan Diaspora Conference 2025 will serve as a convening platform to:  Strengthen trust and collaboration among Afghan diaspora groups to enhance coordination, build alliances, and foster networks for more effective humanitarian and long-term resilience responses.  Deepen diaspora engagement in support of Afghanistan, identifying entry points for collaboration with local actors and other stakeholders and showcasing the evolving role of the diaspora in emergency response, recovery, and long-term resilience. This includes highlighting innovative diaspora-led funding models, crowdfunding initiatives, and partnerships that help scale and sustain locally led solutions amid shrinking aid.  Put diaspora perspectives and voices at the forefront, celebrating Afghan culture and identity through artistic expressions that reflect resilience, hope, and solidarity.   Who can participate? The conference will target Afghan diaspora actors, and will serve to convene various practitioners, experts and relevant stakeholders to engage in informed discussions.  All sessions are held in English with simultaneous interpretation available in Dari.  

AidEx, the world’s leading humanitarian aid and disaster relief event returns to Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland on 22-23 October 2025. This year’s AidEx Geneva Conference focuses on "Future-proofing Humanitarian Aid" exploring solution oriented and innovative approaches as well as systemic changes needed for a sustainable and effective crisis response.  Together with Development2030, a global event uniting international development actors in pursuit of sustainable development goals, the event welcomes over 3000 delegates from local and international NGOs, UN agencies, government, donors, foundations, the private sector and more.      

As the global funding landscape shrinks, the humanitarian sector must evolve or risk falling behind. Diaspora-led initiatives — often mobilizing resources that rival or surpass formal aid flows — are pioneering innovative financing models that scale what local communities are already doing. By combining trusted community ties with cutting-edge technologies, these efforts are reshaping how humanitarian response is financed and delivered. This session will explore how diaspora and tech actors worldwide can be leveraged to strengthen community-driven responses and drive systemic change. Main objectives: Highlight blockchain-based payments and other tech for diaspora-led humanitarian action.  Show how blockchain, digital payments, and crowdfunding improve transparency, accountability, and reach. Explore opportunities for collaboration between diaspora actors, humanitarian agencies, and private sector innovators to scale impactful solutions.  Speaker Details Burcu Mavis, Blockchain Academy and Accelerator Lead, UNDP AltFinLab (Moderator & Facilitator) Nasrat Khalid, Founder & CEO, Aseel Technology Corporation Nigel Pont, Senior Humanitarian Advisor, HesabPay Jean-Marc Seigneur, Director, Advanced Studies on Blockchain, DLT and dApps Development, University of Geneva Carmen Hett, Corporate Treasurer, UNHCR This session is organized by UNDP AltFinLab and DEMAC – Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination, part of the Danish Refugee Council.