T4EU INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE MARKING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SCHOLARS AT RISK AND THE CLOSING OF THE TRAVELLING EXHIBITION ‘THE GARDEN OF THE (IN)VISIBLES
Students, researchers, and members of the public are warmly invited to attend the T4EU International Conference, Standing up for Higher Education in Times of Global Crises’, taking place on 9 December 2025 at 3:00 pm at the Gorizia campus (via Alviano 18, 34170 Gorizia).
The event marks the 25th anniversary of Scholars at Risk (SAR), the global network that defends academic freedom and protects scholars at risk. It forms part of SAR’s “Truth Matters” 2025–2026 celebrations, highlighting resilience, the right to research, critical thinking, and academic dialogue.
Organised within the framework of the European Transform4Europe (T4EU) alliance, the conference features two thematic sessions:
- Gaza: Challenges facing higher education, with talks by Omar Shweiki (Friends of Palestinian Universities) and Prof. Ahmed Abu Shaban (Al-Azhar University, Gaza).
- Sudan: Political and academic perspectives, featuring Prof. Munzoul Assal (University of Bergen), Irene Panozzo (political analyst), and Prof. Federico Donelli (University of Trieste).
The conference coincides with the closing of the travelling exhibition “The Garden of the (In)visibles”, part of WP7 – Common Heritage and Multilingualism. The exhibition presents objects left by migrants at the edges of cities or in forests, offering tangible traces of migration while exploring intangible themes such as identity, memory, and shared heritage.
Conference programme (summary):
- 15:00–15:30 – Institutional welcome, presentation of SAR and Free to Think Report 2025
- 15:30–17:00 – Session 1: Gaza
- 17:00–17:30 – Coffee break
- 17:30–19:00 – Session 2: Sudan
Participation options:
- In person: Aula Magna, Gorizia Campus, University of Trieste
- Online (streaming): Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 315 016 818 135 57 Passcode: f7rw3yR6)
Contact: t4eu.heritage@units.it
This is a unique opportunity to reflect on the importance of academic freedom, truth, and culture in times of global crises, bringing together academic engagement, human rights advocacy, and cultural reflection.