Academic Year Opening Ceremony 2011-2012

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Wednesday September 21, 2011 - Amphithéâtres de l'Europe at the Sart Tilman site

Given the theme of ‘Human Rights and Liberties,' the day marking the opening of the new academic year will be the opportunity to debate democracy and civil liberties, with as a background the aspirations of the peoples in Arab countries, the political evolutions in Africa and Latin America, and with the ensemble placed in comparison with the situation in Western and in particular European countries, where the temptations of nationalist and regional turning inwards, often supported by populist discourse and parties, are gaining ground. Between identity based openness and insular withdrawal, our traditional democratic ideals are being disturbed and called into question.

Two special events will mark the day:

10.00-12.00
A debate: ‘Human Rights and Liberties'
with Profesors Christian Behrendt, Edouard Delruelle, Bob Kabamba and Sebastian Santander.

Led by Eddy Caekelberghs, a RTBF journalist.

15.00
Academic Year Opening Ceremony  

Speeches by Rector Bernard Rentier and representatives of the academic, research and student bodies.

The awarding of a University of Liège Honorary Doctorate to Mister Abdou Diouf, the former President of the Republic of Senegal and the current Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

These events are open to all, with prior registration, subject to the number of places available, with the ULg's External Relations and Communication Department (see the invitation and the reply card).

Exhibition

On the occasion of the day marking the opening of the new academic year, an exhibition primarily made up of posters and news based cartoons can be viewed at the Amphithéâtres de l'Europe. Based on the theme of Human Rights, Democracy and Liberties, the exhibition has been established on the basis of pieces provided by the Territoires de la Mémoire asbl, Amnesty International and the Centre pour l'Egalité des Chances et la lutte contre le racisme.

It will also be the opportunity to discover the ‘Centre de Dialogue des Cultures,' of which the MNEMA is a member and of which Abdou Diouf is the President of the International Sponsoring Committee.

The MNEMA - Cité miroir project, whose development work at the Liège Sauvenière swimming baths is underway, will be presented.