The Hamburg-Vigoni Forum

The Hamburg-Vigoni Forum aims to bring research and politics together in an innovative way. The focus is less on detailed questions of day-to-day politics than on an overall concept of integration policy: “space— sovereignty—identity”, the narratives of integration and disintegration that are familiar but not yet sufficiently questioned in terms of their relevance for concrete concepts for the future of European politics. Scientifically reflected and theoretically informed, the aim is to offer politicians interpretations to explain Europe in its whence and whither, to make it more tangible for citizens and to enable them to experience it in their everyday reality.

The conference series addresses the central question “What holds Europe together?” This question is to be placed in a global context, which is characterized by great changes and substantial upheavals. In its search for identity, Europe must at the same time react to these (threatening) global challenges and, in the struggle for a multilateral world order, remain or become an actor with the power to shape and act. Thus, European answers are also sought to global questions.

To this end, University of Hamburg, as part of its European strategy as a “University of Excellence”, the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy and the Villa Vigoni have joined forces to stimulate a constructive discourse on European policy with the participation of leading academics. In the period from 2021 to 2026, a total of seven academic conferences will be held, alternating between Villa Vigoni and Hamburg. In this way, a forum can be created, supported by experienced partners, to provide sustainable impetus for the over- arching discourse on the future of Europe initiated by the EU Commission.

The Hamburg-Vigoni Forum is organized as one of the international strategy conferences of the University of Hamburg and is funded by the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments.