Germany’s First Minister with Tanzanian Roots Appointed.
Berlin. Mr. Joe Chialo is Berlin’s first minister of culture with Tanzanian ancestry, a first in German and European politics.
Mr. Chialo was born in Bonn in 1970 as the son of the late Tanzanian Ambassador Isaya Mr. Chialo, who served for many years in Germany, China, and Japan before retiring in Tanzania.
His mother, Theopista Mr. Chialo, and several of his brothers continue to reside in Dar es Salaam.
The 52-year-old will guide the cultural policy of Berlin in the future. Mr. Chialo’s career in the creative and cultural industries is remarkable.
After graduating from a Salesian Don Bosco boarding school near Cologne, he spent a few semesters in Erlangen studying history, politics, and economics before abandoning his studies to pursue a singing career with Blue Manner Haze. Mr. Chialo has not only been active as a musician and subsequently signed with Sony Music, but he has also completed a CNC milling apprenticeship.
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In 2002, he joined the largest music company in the world, Universal Music, and relocated to Berlin.
Mr. Chialo and Universal Music founded the joint venture label Airforce1 Records in 2009, which specializes in integrated marketing for creatively and conceptually exceptional artists.
Airforce1 Records’ most successful artists include Alvaro Soler, Santiano, Ben Zucker, and the Kelly Family.
Chialo also founded Afroforce1 Records in 2018. A music label committed to expanding creative and economic collaboration with African nations and promoting artists such as Mi Casa.
Mr. Chialo was appointed Executive Vice President of A&R for Universal Music Central Europe & Africa in 2020. With responsibilities including the identification and promotion of African artists.
Mr. Chialo is not only active in the creative and cultural industries but also in politics.
In 2021, he ran as a candidate in Berlin for the German Bundestag, having joined Angela Merkel’s former party CDU in 2016.
He was elected to the federal executive committee of the CDU of Germany with the highest vote total in January 2022. Now acting as Berlin’s Senator for Culture, he promises an exciting and dynamic period for the city’s cultural scene.
Mr. Chialo’s appointment as the first black minister of culture is a significant step toward a society that is more diverse and inclusive.
The appointment of Mr. Chialo as a cultural senator is likely to stir up Berlin’s cultural politics.
His experience and network in the creative and cultural industries, along with his political experience in the CDU and dedication to Berlin’s pop culture, could assist him in shaping and promoting the city’s cultural scene.
Germany’s First Minister with Tanzanian Roots Appointed.
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