This year's Europe Week at EUF started with an event by the Model United Nations (MUN) university club. Acting on two committees, engaged students from universities and schools in Schleswig-Holstein simulated conferences of the EU and UN. The first committee simulated the Council of the European Union and discussed the refugee situation in Poland and Hungary. The second committee simulated UN Women, the United Nations body for gender equality and empowerment of women, and discussed women's access to health care in health crises.

At the Concert for Peace on Monday, May 9, the student symphony orchestra of the University of Music Lübeck (MHL) opened the evening program with Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov’s  "Prayer for Ukraine." This first joint concert of EUF and MHL raised about 2,500 euros, which will benefit students from Ukraine. The two-hour concert conducted by Clemens Schuld in the Deutsches Haus auditorium received a standing ovation. In addition to the Flensburg premiere of "THAW" by Philipp Wallis Nicolai and the Piano Concerto in A minor by Robert Schumann, Gustav Mahler's First Symphony in D major delighted the audience of approximately 500 guests.

Tuesday at noon marked the premier of a Europe Week music video celebrating the languages of Europe. Composed by Ghanaian master's student Archil Ziga, the video featured international students expressing their belief that ‘wir sind alle eins – we are one.’

Russia's invasion of Ukraine was the chosen topic of a well-attended panel discussion on Tuesday evening. Under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Ulrich Glassmann, Vice President for European and International Affairs, the panel discussed what the war in Ukraine means for the European Union itself and for its role in the world. Among other things, it was debated whether the war in Ukraine would help the EU to become more united, or would instead challenge its unity. The panel addressed the question from four different disciplines: Professor Dr. Katharina Mangold spoke as a specialist on European law, Professor Dr. Uwe Puetter as a political scientist, Prof. Dr. Anne Reichold as a philosopher, and Professor Dr. Vello Pettai for issues related to minority affairs as the director of the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI). In the reception that followed, students and faculty enjoyed mingling at the first official gathering since the pandemic.

There were many questions for panel discussion participants. (Julius Demant).

From left to right: Prof. Dr. Uwe Puetter, Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Mangold, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Glassmann, Prof. Dr. Anne Reichold and Prof. Dr. Vello Pettai. (Julius Demant)