Future in Europe: Focus on diplomacy and defense capacity!

Future in Europe: Focus on diplomacy and defense capacity!

Passau, Deutschland - On May 23, 2025, a significant symposium of the Neuburg discussion group took place, organized by Dr. Fritz Audebert, the chairman of the district. The event, which took place at the University of Passau, dealt with the new order of the world and brought together experts from various disciplines to discuss current issues such as the power of the economy, the power of diplomacy and defense ability. In the welcoming speech, Dr. Audebert and Prof. Dr. Jan H. Schumann, Vice President of the University of Passau, emphasized the importance of these discussions in a world characterized by uncertainty.

An introductory lecture by Yves Rossier, a former Swiss diplomat, highlights the role of Switzerland in Europe and the possibilities of the EU to take on a leadership role between the USA and China. Rossier expressed his hope that the EU is a stabilizing force in these geopolitical tensions.

panel discussions on pressing topics

A central element of the event was the three accompanying panel discussions. The first, moderated by Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm, addressed the role of AI companies in the change in our society and what security-relevant developments mean for the future. Participants like Benno Blumoser from Siemens AG and Dr. Jürgen Zehetmaier from MSG Systems AG discussed the changed landscape of the economy and its implications for international security.

The second discussion, led by Tanja Selmayr, dealt with diplomacy in a world that is shaped by autocratic governments. Experts such as Wolfgang Aigner from Unodc and Florian Laudi from the Federal Foreign Office discussed how diplomatic discussions can continue to take place despite opposing views. The consensus was that diplomacy remains essential to find solutions for international conflicts.

The third panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Dr. Klaus Beckmann asked the question of Germany's defense ability. Experts like Dr. Anke Allenhöfer and Thomas Hambach from the Air Force of the Bundeswehr discussed the importance of defense strategies in a rapidly changing geopolitical context. A central point was the need to reform the thinking of the population about defense in order to better protect the values ​​of a stable society.

conclusion with festive dinner

The event found its ceremonial conclusion at a dinner, in which Deike Potzel, a spokeswoman for the Federal Foreign Office, spoke about the current situation of the world. She described the situation as "insecure, dangerous, tense and conflicting" and pointed out the highest military spending since the end of the Cold War. Their examples of diplomatic challenges, such as auxiliary performances to Ukraine or the reconstruction in Iraq, underlined the complexity of international relationships in an increasingly multipolar world.

The thematic framework of the symposium refers to the fundamental changes in the world order that have arisen since the end of the Cold War. Historically, the world experienced a bipolar structure after the Second World War before moving into a multipolar order with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of new powers such as China and the recovered Russia. These developments show that the concepts of world order are closely associated with the questions of international relations and state sovereignty. These topics were not only in the discussions, but also in the previous article on worldviews and world orders from Studyflix.de addressed.

The event at the University of Passau, which was moderated by Katrina Jordan and was accompanied by musical contributions by Sandro Roy and Janko Lauenberger, presented a significant step in dealing with these urgent questions and called on to increasingly promote peace at all social levels.