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Future of Europe: Diplomacy and defense in the focus of the symposium
On May 23, 2025, a symposium on economic, diplomatic and defense issues took place at the University of Passau.
Future of Europe: Diplomacy and defense in the focus of the symposium
On May 23, 2025, a symposium organized by Dr. Fritz Audebert, chairman of the Neuburg Discussion Group, an intensive discussion of the current world order took place. At this event, which was held at the University of Passau, Dr. Audebert and Prof. Dr. Jan H. Schumann, the university's vice president, led the dialogue on the central role of power, diplomacy and defense capability in the modern global structure.
The retired Swiss diplomat Yves Rossier gave the introductory lecture and discussed the importance of Switzerland within Europe and the future of the European Union. Rossier expressed the hope that the EU could take a leadership role between the superpowers USA and China. This assessment reflects how the world has evolved since the end of the Cold War, when the USA was temporarily the only superpower, towards a multipolar structure in which China and Russia also play crucial roles.
The role of diplomacy and the influence of autocratic governments
An important part of the symposium were the discussion panels that illuminated various aspects of current world politics. Especially the first panel discussion, moderated by Prof. Dr. Michael Grimm, focused on the role of AI companies and their influence on economic and security-related developments. Participating experts, including Benno Blumoser from Siemens AG and Dr. Florian Brummer from Amazon Web Services discussed the upcoming challenges and opportunities.
Another central theme was diplomacy in a time of growing autocracies. Moderated by Tanja Selmayr, the second round of discussions brought together experts such as Wolfgang Aigner from UNODC and Florian Laudi from the Federal Foreign Office. The consensus of this round was that despite divergent views, dialogue and the pursuit of diplomacy must continue.
Defensive capability in focus
In the third panel discussion, led by Prof. Dr. Led by Klaus Beckmann, Germany's defense capability was on the agenda. In this context, experts such as Dr. Anke Allenhöfer from Helsing and Isabel Schmitt-Falckenberg from the Federal Ministry of the Interior describe the changes in the mindset of the German population that are necessary to defend values.
The symposium concluded with a festive dinner at which dinner speaker Deike Potzel from the Federal Foreign Office described the current world situation as “uncertain, dangerous, tense” and “conflicting”. She emphasized the highest military spending since the Cold War and the need for a commitment to peace at a societal level. Potzel referred to the ongoing diplomatic challenges such as aid to Ukraine and reconstruction in Iraq.
The event, led by Katrina Jordan, head of communications and marketing at the University of Passau, not only offered deeper insights into the complexities of international relations, but also musical accompaniment by Sandro Roy and Janko Lauenberger.
Overall, it is clear that the discussion about the global order and interstate relations is shaped by a variety of factors. Historical worldviews, often based on power and sovereignty, encounter challenges of modern structures and such as the influence of technology and trade relations in a dynamic international environment. The symposium in Passau was therefore an important contribution to reflection on the future shape of the world order.