1 / 2024 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS 3
Editorial
Dear Members and Friends of Leopoldina ,
The year 2024 promises to be a diverse one in terms of events at the Leopoldina . Several collaborations with international partners will enrich our calendar – I would like to draw your particular attention to three that illustrate our contribution to strong international ties in research . On 20 March , the Leopoldina and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Humanities are jointly organising the Human Rights Committee ’ s symposium “ Human Rights and Academic Freedom in Europe ” in Berlin / Germany ( page 11 ). In May , the Leopoldina is cooperating with the World Medical Association ( WMA ) and the American Medical Association ( page 4 ) with a symposium on research on vulnerable people . And in October , the Leopoldina and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( CAS ) are organising the conference “ Science for Future : On the Path to Carbon Neutrality ”.
With the revelation in January that right-wing politicians and activists had met to discuss “ re-migration plans ”, it became abundantly clear that the essential elements of academic freedom , internationality , and diversity , could be threatened in future . The Academy has experienced two totalitarian regimes in its history . A responsibility to speak up for human dignity , freedom and democracy develops out
Professor ( ETHZ ) Dr Gerald Haug , President of the Leopoldina of these experiences alone . This
Image : David Ausserhofer | Leopoldina year , we will discuss current societal developments at numerous events . In June , the Europe Debate on populism will take place in Halle ( Saale )/ Germany with the Halle Institute for Economic Research . The interplay between societal crises and science is the topic of the conference “ Science and Democracy in Political Crises , 1900 – 2024 ”. In cooperation with the German Historical Institute , the conference will be organised in Washington , D . C ./ USA in September .
Research needs diversity – and this thrives with funding and support . At this point I would like to ask you , dear Members , to nominate young scientists for the prize “ ZukunftsWissen ”, successor of the Early Career Award , which the Leopoldina and the Commerzbank-Stiftung will award for the first time this year . You can find more details on page 11 .
We hope you enjoy this issue !