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<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Wat betekent het om verbonden te zijn met de wereld om je heen? In een tijd van toenemende verdeeldheid is de behoefte aan
verbinding groter dan ooit – op internationaal, nationaal en lokaal niveau. Tijdens de Opening Academisch Jaar 2025/2026 van de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam op maandag 1 september staat het thema wereldburgerschap centraal. </span></span><span class="eop"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Sigrid Kaag verzorgt de keynote. Zij is voormalig minister en viceminister-president en huidig VN-coördinator voor Gaza.
Kaag spreekt over haar ervaring met internationaal beleid en de verantwoordelijkheid van individuele landen en burgers voor mondiale vraagstukken. Wetenschappers van de VU laten zien hoe baanbrekend onderzoek voor maatschappelijke impact zorgt. Ook bekijken
we wat het betekent om verantwoordelijkheid te nemen voor je eigen omgeving. </span></span><span class="eop"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Noteer</span></span><span class="textrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">
</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">maandag 1 september
</span></b></span><strong><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">van 15.30 tot 16.45 uur</span></strong><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">
alvast in je agenda. Eind juni ontvang je de officiële uitnodiging met daarin meer informatie over het programma en de mogelijkheid om je aan te melden.</span></span><span class="eop"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Ik verwelkom je graag tijdens de Opening Academisch Jaar 2025/2026!</span></span><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><br>
</span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span class="scxw149192949"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><br>
<span class="normaltextrun">Hartelijke groet,</span><span class="scxw149192949"> </span><br>
<span class="normaltextrun">namens het College van Bestuur,</span><span class="scxw149192949"> </span><br>
<span class="scxw149192949"> </span><br>
<span class="normaltextrun">Margrethe Jonkman</span><span class="scxw149192949"> </span><br>
<span class="normaltextrun">Voorzitter</span><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">**</span><span class="scxw248139062"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">
</span></span><span class="scxw248139062"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">What does it mean to be connected to the world around you? In a time of increasing divisions, the need for connection
is greater than ever – on an international, national, and local level. During the Opening of the Academic Year 2025/2026 of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on Monday, 1 September, the focus will be on the theme of world citizenship.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Sigrid Kaag will be the keynote speaker. She is a former minister and deputy prime minister of the Netherlands, and the
current UN coordinator for Gaza. Kaag will speak about her experiences with international policy and reflect on the responsibility of individual countries and citizens in addressing global challenges. Researchers from VU Amsterdam will demonstrate how groundbreaking
research can have real societal impact. We will also explore what it means to take responsibility for one’s own community.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Please mark
</span></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Monday</span></strong><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">,</span></b></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">
1 September from 15:30 to 16:45</span></strong><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> in your calendar. By the end of June, you will receive the official invitation with more
information about the programme and how to register.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">I look forward to welcoming you to the Opening of the Academic Year 2025/2026!</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Kind regards, </span></span><span class="scxw248139062"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><br>
</span><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">on behalf of the Executive Board, </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">Margrethe Jonkman </span></span><span class="scxw248139062"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333"><br>
</span><span class="normaltextrun"><span lang="NL" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#333333">President</span></span><span lang="NL" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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