On 28 November 2017, the ANU Centre for European Studies (ANUCES) together with the Konrad–Adenauer–Stiftung (KAS) launched the first Konrad Adenauer Lecture. It was delivered by Professor Dr Norbert Lammert, immediate Former President of the German Federal Parliament and newly elected Chairman of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.

Professor Dr Lammert's lecture, entitled 'Germany and Europe in a New Era of Global Challenges', was the inaugural oration of the Konrad Adeneuer Lecture Series, which seeks to address the broader, most relevant themes of the German–Australian relationship and coherence of the liberal democratic order as a whole. The establishment of the series is the culmination of a collaboration between ANUCES and KAS.

The event was a grand finale to Professor Dr Lammert’s political dialogue program in which he toured Australia and New Zealand. His lecture gave valuable insight on the outlook for Europe in a changing global order, and the challenges and opportunities for Germany and Europe in the future. Professor Dr Lammert highlighted that, despite some problems, the project of a united Europe remains a success story as the guarantor of a prosperous and peaceful order - one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century.

The event took place in the Gandel Hall at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, and was attended by 170 guests, including representatives from government, the diplomatic community, academia, think tanks, the private sector, and the media. Dr Beatrice Gorawantschy, Director of KAS Australia and the Pacific gave the welcome address, followed by Professor Jacqueline Lo, Executive Director of ANUCES. Ms Gerda Winkler, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, also spoke at the event.

Over a number of years ANUCES and KAS have worked to bring together researchers and policymakers on issues of critical importance in both Europe and Australia. Their collaborative events and publications have promoted dialogue among scholars and practitioners to address common problems and identify shared interests. The opening of the KAS office in Canberra in 2017 provided an opportunity to work further together, and both ANUCES and KAS are delighted to formalise their partnership and commit to an annual, high–profile lecture focused on enhancing understanding of Germany and Europe in Australia and the wider region.

The Konrad–Adenauer–Stiftung is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). Freedom, justice and solidarity are the basic principles underlying the work of KAS. As co–founder of the CDU and the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) united Christian–social, conservative and liberal traditions. His name is synonymous with the democratic reconstruction of Germany, the firm alignment of foreign policy with the trans–Atlantic community of values, the vision of a unified Europe and Germany’s orientation towards a social market economy. His intellectual heritage continues to serve both as our aim as well as our obligation today. More than 100 KAS offices around the world are in charge of organising national and international conferences, conducting research, offering civic education and political training, and cultivating international understanding. Through its international activities and projects carried out in collaboration with local partners in over 120 countries, KAS makes a substantial contribution to international cooperation and to ensuring that Germany lives up to its growing responsibility in the world.

The inaugural Konrad Adenauer lecture will be published online as a paper, audio recording and video. Visit the ANU Centre for European Studies website for details: http://ces.anu.edu.au