On November 26, 2024, the Liaison Office São Paulo and South America as well as the Alumni Team of Freie Universität Berlin and the Liaison Office of the Brazil Center of the University of Münster hosted a joint alumni event in São Paulo as part of the Year of Biodiversity.

The event, which took place in the residence of the German Consul General in São Paulo, began with a speech by the Vice Consul for Culture and Science, Johannes Wahner. Afterwards, Dr. Regine Schönenberg and Dr. Guilherme de Queiroz Stein, alumnae of the respective universities, gave lectures on the topics of “Interdisciplinary research on biodiversity” and “Sustainable use of raw materials”. In addition, Christian Lazar, Head of the Liaison Office of Freie Universität Berlin, and Laura Redondo, Head of the Liaison Office of the Brazil Center at the University of Münster, presented their activities in Brazil and the region.

The reception then began, allowing alumni from the two universities to network with each other and engage in interesting conversations. Thematic connections emerged here and many of the alumni active in academia talked about possible opportunities for cooperation. In addition, the completed G20 activities in Rio de Janeiro and the possible trends emerging from the negotiations for the coming years on topics such as climate change, biodiversity and the stability of democracy provided plenty to talk about.

This evening once again demonstrated how well German universities are connected and present in the region. The alumni were delighted to meet colleagues from other universities and had a lively exchange about their experiences in Berlin and Münster. These have made them the people they are today, which is why both Berlin and Münster will always hold a place in their hearts.