UU's anniversary celebrations acknowledge world crises

March 26, half past three. Pro-Palestine activists are already gathering at Dom Square. They are holding their banners towards the Utrecht University Hall and the procession of professors. A little further on, one sees a small group of elderly scientists. Some of them have white pieces of paper in their pockets, which they show us upon request. They say things like 'Do what you promise’ and ‘Executive Board, please cut all ties with the fossil fuel industry’. They seem to be from Scientists for Future.

Activists then lie down in front of the entrance to the Utrecht University Hall, and the university quickly decides not to let the professors in gowns pass through Dom Square. Instead, they enter the building through the courtyard. 

Pro-Palestine demonstrators lie down in front of the Utrecht University Hall. As a result, the university decided not to allow the procession to pass through the square. Photo: DUB

Strange times
The protesters do their best to make themselves heard as the ceremony takes place inside. Rector Henk Kummeling, who is welcoming the guests, says he does not agree with some of their slogans and their one-sided approach to dialogue, but he understands their concerns. In his opening speech, he positioned himself against Israel's unilateral violation of the ceasefire. ‘It seems to have no regard whatsoever for the justified desire of all peoples in the region to live a dignified life in peace with respect for human rights. In all our international collaborations in programmes and projects, we want to be vigilant in ensuring that we do not unwittingly contribute to human rights violations. We will have to continue to press our academic partners in Israel on this issue.’

Procession with speaker Ajay Bailey, then rector Henk Kummeling, the honorary doctor Harini Nagendra and UU President Anton Pijpers. Photo: DUB

Other speakers also draw attention to the demonstrators in front of the church. Alumnus of the Year Hiske Arts calls on those present in the church to be quiet and listen to the protest. She used the metaphor of a car full of people listening to loud music and an activist sitting in the back seat, shouting that the driver should turn the car around. ‘You must ask yourself if you want to continue on your path or turn the car around. Do you see the activist as someone who is disrupting the party, or do you listen to what he has to say?'

‘These are strange times,’ other speakers emphasise. They refer to Gaza and the United States under Trump several times. For Kummeling, this is reason enough to once again emphasise the importance of academic freedom and keeping universities autonomous. 

The environmental epidemiologist Cathryn Tonne received an honorary doctorate. Photo: DUB

Honorary degrees
The theme of this anniversary celebration is ‘A healthy Planet’. Ajay Bailey, a professor of Geographies of Health, Inclusion, & Development, is the keynote speaker. He advocates a new perspective on environmental policy that links nature, health and justice. He believes that the consequences of environmental measures for local populations should be taken into account. Nowadays, people from lower social classes and the Global South often bear the brunt fo environmental policy. ‘We must look more closely at the consequences of disrupting the natural system on human health.’

His plea is in line with the research of the two honorary doctors appointed during the anniversary celebrations. Harini Nagendra, from Azim Premji University in India, researches how people and nature can be connected in cities. She is particularly praised for her focus on the position of young people. In her speech, she talks about a climate festival she organised for 50,000 young people in India.

The other honorary doctorate goes to the American environmental epidemiologist Cathryn Tonne, who is currently affiliated with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. Her research focuses on reducing air pollution, both indoors and outdoors. In her brief speech, she refers to the worrying situation in the United States where data on the impact of climate change on humans is being systematically removed and words such as ‘climate change’ are being censored.

Henk Kummeling unveiling his portrait. Photo: DUB

Farewell to Henk Kummeling
The formal farewell to Rector Henk Kummeling happens in the last part of the celebration. He receives the silver medal of Utrecht University from Karin Laglas, Chair of the Supervisory Board. The medal is intended for people who have made a special contribution to the university.

Laglas and UU President Anton Pijpers both praise Kummeling. Laglas says that Kummeling came up with many initiatives, such as Open Science, but he always gave his colleagues room to work on those initiatives themselves. ‘Kummeling was more about pointing us in the right direction than directing,’ she concludes. Anton Pijpers praises Kummeling's commitment to interdisciplinary education and co-determination bodies. ‘You believe in contradiction and room for other ideas.’ Pijpers and Kummeling unveiled a painted portrait of the rector, a tradition at UU for each rector who leaves.

In his closing words, Kummeling refers to the well-known expression: ‘Changing a university is like moving a graveyard, no help from inside’. He observes that change leads to uncertainty, costs energy and takes time. Yet he recognises that much has changed in recent years and that there were more innovative ideas than administrators could approve.

His duties will now be taken over by Wilco Hazeleger, who served as the dean of the Faculty of Geosciences until March 26. He says he sees the university as an open institute with an eye for what is going on in the world. He refers once again to the protests outside, which have gradually died down by now. ‘We must show the added value of the university, but not by merely saying what we do and presenting our impact. We would be excluding ourselves if we did that. We must truly be part of society and specifically seek cooperation.’
 

UU's new rector, Wilco Hazeleger. Photo: DUB