As a way of marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, CCGES has invited Dr. Wilhelm Bleek (Professor Emeritus, Political Science, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum) to consider the FRG’s first capital, Bonn. Having grown up in the “Rhine metropolis”, Prof. Bleek has promised to provide some personal memories from the early years of the Bonner Republik as well as perspectives on the processes and personalities which led to the fledgling state orienting itself to the West.

All are welcome, but attendees are asked to
RSVP to ccges@yorku.ca

Time: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Location: 230R York Lanes (map)

On Monday, May 25th, CCGES will host a delegation from Ontario’s German partner state, Baden-Württemburg, which will include Dr. Peter Frankenberg (Minister for Science, Research and Art) and Ms. Tanja Gönner (Environment Minister).

As part of the itinerary, CCGES and York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) have organized an Experts’ Roundtable on climate change strategies. In addition to the two ministers, participants will include Professors Jose Etcheverry, Mark Winfield and Arlene Gould (FES), among others.

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Location: 280 York Lanes (map)

All are welcome. RSVP to ccges@yorku.ca

Conference at Le Centre canadien d’études allemandes et européennes, Université de Montréal

Organized by Till van Rahden, Canada Research Chair for German and European Studies, Université de Montréal

In collaboration with Marcus Funck, The Canadian Centre for German and European Studies, York University, the German General Consulate, Montréal, the Goethe-Institut, Montréal, the Joint Initiative in German and European Studies, University of Toronto, the Department of German Studies, McGill University, the Faculté des arts et des sciences and the Département de littératures et de langues modernes, Université de Montréal

In its obsessive quest for normality, the Federal Republic, which will turn 60 on May 23, 2009, is a strange country. While citizens of most countries pride themselves on being different, postwar Germans have longed for normality ever since 1949. More than anything they wished to be like everyone else, to blend into Socialist or Western modernity, to become invisible citizens of a post-national Europe on both sides of the Iron Curtain. (CONTINUE READING)

CCGES is pleased to present a visit to Toronto by Dr. Jens Reich, one of Germany’s leading scientific ethicists and a prominent figure in the citizens’ movement which helped topple East Germany’s communist regime in the peaceful revolution of 1989.

While in Toronto on Tuesday, May 19th, Dr. Reich will participate in two events. The first will take place in the CCGES Meeting Room (230 York Lanes) beginning at 11:30 am and is intended to give the York students and faculty a chance to discuss the legacy of the citizens-based movements which helped redefine Europe’s social and political landscape with one of their most important actors.

The second event is a talk by Dr. Reich on the same topic and is being presented in cooperation with the German General Consulate  Toronto and the German-Canadian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK). The talk will take place in the offices of AHK (480 University Avenue, Suite 1500) and begins at 6:00 pm to be followed by a reception. This event is open to all interested indiv iduals, however due to space limitations, attendees are requested to RSVP to ccges@yorku.ca

(CONTINUE READING)

As part of the CCGES European Ambassadors Lecture Series, the Centre is pleased to welcome H.E. Wim J.P. Geerts, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to York to speak on “Opportunities and Challenges for Europe and EU-Canada Relations”.

This event is open to the public, but due to space considerations, we would ask that interested parties RSVP to ccges@yorku.ca

Time: 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Location: York Hall A107, Glendon Campus (map)