Open BTU: Lecture evening "Why I won't give up hope"

The new thematic block "Democracy and hope in the crisis" of the Open BTU public lecture series will start on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, at 5:30 pm with renowned speakers - political scientist Prof. Dr Gesine Schwan and Prof. Dr Holger Zaborowski, holder of the Chair of Philosophy at the University of Erfurt.

All interested parties are invited to this lecture and discussion evening in Audimax 1 on the Cottbus main campus of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU). Admission is free. Registration is not required.

We live in times of crisis. How can these crises be overcome? How is it possible not to lose hope in times that seem hopeless? What can give us hope? What role do democratic values play in this context and what is the actual state of democratic action processes in our society? Gesine Schwan and Holger Zaborowski want to provide answers to these and other questions from a political, philosophical and theological perspective. In this context, the major areas of freedom, faith, media, human dignity and education will be discussed and reflected upon.

Moderator: Thomas Besch, graduate theologian, Provost, Catholic Provost's Office Cottbus

The lecture is organised in cooperation with Akademieforum Cottbus e.V.
Interested parties can access the association's programme here.
The event is being organised with the kind support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 17:30 to 19:00
Location: Audimax 1 at the main campus of BTU, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 3, 03046 Cottbus

About the Open BTU lecture series
From 9 April 2025 to 2 July 2025, the public lecture series "Open BTU" will offer insights into exciting fields of knowledge. In the summer semester, the following topics will be examined from different perspectives:

  • Our soils in Lusatia
  • Biodiversity and biodiversity protection (as part of the 33rd Cottbus Environment Week)
  • Democracy and hope in the crisis

With this educational format, which is open to all interested parties, the university's Centre for Continuing Education supports lifelong learning and funds the transfer of knowledge and ideas in the region by addressing socially relevant issues. The BTU co-operates with other universities and institutions. Each lecture will be followed by an opportunity for questions and dialogue with the speakers. Anyone interested is cordially invited to take part in the wide range of events on offer.

More about the Open BTU lecture series:
https://www.b-tu.de/weiterbildung/offene-hochschule/open-btu

Specialist contact

Thomas Hasenauer
Zentrum für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZWW)
T +49 (0) 355 69-3680
thomas.hasenauer(at)b-tu.de

Press contact

Ralf-Peter Witzmann
Kommunikation und Marketing
T +49 (0) 3573 85-283
ralf-peter.witzmann(at)b-tu.de
Prof. Dr Gesine Schwan. © Tanja Marotzke
Prof. Dr Holger Zaborowski. © Andreas List
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