Former Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni (c) dpa picture alliance/ZUMAPRESS | Marco Ottico

Hamburg Speech on the Future of Europe

Speech by Paolo Gentiloni and panel discussion
Monday, 6:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Main Building of the University of Hamburg, Agathe Lasch Lecture Hall (ESA B)
Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1, 20146 Hamburg

The Hamburg Speech on the Future of Europe will be delivered by former Italian Prime Minister and European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni. He will discuss "European Strategic Autonomy Four Years After Russia's Invasion of Ukraine". This is already the second Hamburg Speech on the Future of Europe organised by the University of Hamburg in cooperation with the Hamburg-Vigoni Forum.

The speech will be followed by a panel discussion featuring experts from politics and academia, who will reflect on and respond to these insights.

Program

6:00 pm: Greetings Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren, President of the University of Hamburg

6:15 pm: Hamburg Speech on the Future of Europe: Paolo Gentiloni, former Italian Prime Minister and European Commissioner for Economy

7:00 pm: Panel discussion with

  • Paolo Gentiloni, former Italian Prime Minister and European Commissioner for Economy
  • Luigi Mattiolo, President, German-Italian Centre for European Dialogue Villa Vigoni
  • Prof. Dr. Ursula Schröder, Director of the IFSH
  • Liv Assmann, State Secretary and Plenipotentiary of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg to the Federation, to the European Union, and for Foreign Affairs
  • Moderation: Prof. Dr. Markus Kotzur, President Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, Scientific Director of the Hamburg-Vigoni Forum

This event marks the second edition of the Hamburg Speech on the Future of Europe. The first took place on April 28, 2023, and was delivered by Egils Levits, former President of Latvia and alumnus of the University of Hamburg.

Please register until February 11th, 2026 via the website of the University of Hamburg. You can find further information here.

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