Press releases of Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF)

11/26/25

The European Wasatia Graduate School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Europa-Universität Flensburg is receiving the German Dialogue Award 2025.

Prof. Dr. Ralf K. Wüstenberg and Dr. Zaineh Barakat are being honored with the German Dialogue Award 2025 in the category “Education and Science.” With this award, the Federation of German Dialogue Institutions recognizes their outstanding commitment to an open, respectful, and sustainable dialogue between religions.

Cross-border peacebuilding

In her laudatory speech, Bishop Nora Steen emphasized the great importance of the project for peacebuilding and its strong impact on the region:

“What Prof. Dr. Ralf Wüstenberg and Dr. Zaineh Barakat have established and achieved since 2020 with the European Wasatia Graduate School for Peace and Conflict Resolution deserves great recognition. The internationally oriented Europa-Universität Flensburg can be proud of this academically rigorous yet practice-oriented, cross-border peace work! And as Bishop of the Schleswig and Holstein district, I am delighted that this exceptional project of interreligious dialogue radiates into our region and fosters peaceful coexistence.”

An important dialogue impulse from Flensburg

Prof. Dr. Ralf K. Wüstenberg, head of the graduate school, is very pleased about the recognition for the project, which has been running since 2020:

“At the Wasatia Graduate School, we combine academic excellence with intercultural diversity and create a special space for early-career researchers from crisis regions — particularly from the Middle East. In doing so, we promote interreligious dialogue and academic expertise while at the same time strengthening dialogue and the courage for reconciliation in regions affected by conflict.”

Interdisciplinary, transnational, and multireligious graduate program

Twenty-five doctoral candidates from twelve nations are currently working within the interdisciplinary, transnational, and multireligious doctoral program. The three-year program offers doctoral researchers an intensive engagement with the topics of truth, justice, and reconciliation.

“The doctoral candidates receive an intensive support program in which they examine reconciliation studies, transnational justice, and conflict resolution. It is impressive to see how they enter into dialogue with one another over the course of the three years,” reports Dr. Zaineh Barakat, who co-directs the graduate school together with Prof. Wüstenberg. “The Dialogue Award highlights our important contribution to the peace dialogue. Here, we train future dialogue-competent multipliers who are equipped to respond to societal challenges.”

Living diversity – taking responsibility

In particular, the intensive efforts of the leaders of the Wasatia School in interreligious dialogue, peace education, and reconciliation are now being honored with the Dialogue Award 2025. The prize is awarded every two years. Also being recognized this year are former President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Thierse, Shai Hoffmann and Jouanna Hassoun, as well as Rashid Hamid.