Visit to Harvard University
In the USA, Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded an honorary doctor of law degree by Harvard University. At the 368th Commencement Exercises, or graduation, she gave the Commencement Speech in front of the graduates of the university – and gave them six thoughts to take with them for their future.
Chancellor Angela Merkel at Harvard: "Pull down the walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, because nothing has to stay the way it is."
Photo: Bundesregierung/Bergmann
Chancellor Angela Merkel has attended this year’s Commencement Exercises at Harvard University. She was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from the oldest university in the USA – a great honour for her personally, but also for Germany, which she represents.
Speaking in front of around 20,000 Harvard graduates, students, parents, staff and invited guests, the Chancellor gave the main speech, known as the Commencement Speech. She shared experiences from her own life, spoke about life in the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, and about 1989, the year that the desire for freedom released incredible forces everywhere in Europe.
Six take-away thoughts for graduates
In her speech, Chancellor Angela Merkel gave Harvard graduates six thoughts to take away with them:
- "Pull down the walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, because nothing has to stay as it is."
- "Act together – in the interests of a multilateral, global world."
- "Keep asking yourself - Am I doing this because it is right or only because it is possible?"
- "Don’t forget, freedom can never be taken for granted."
- "Surprise yourself with what is possible."
- "Remember, openness always means risks. To begin something new you need to let go of the old. And most of all, nothing should be taken for granted, everything is possible."
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A special bond between Harvard and Germany
The special bond between not only Harvard, but also the USA and Germany is illustrated by the invitations extended by the University to several German Chancellors to take part in Commencement ceremonies.
Chancellors Konrad Adenauer (1955), Helmut Schmidt (1979) and Helmut Kohl (1990) were all invited to give the main speech at Harvard Commencement. Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker was an invited guest in 1987.
Meeting at the Center of European Studies
Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Boston purely to visit Harvard University and take part in the 368th Commencement celebrations. During her visit she also met with the Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, as well as with representatives of the Center of European Studies at Harvard University and with German students.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 29 May 2019: Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at Harvard University. She was the main speaker at this year's Commencement and was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree. The evening before the ceremony she attended a banquet hosted by University President Lawrence Bacow in the Memorial Hall.
Cambridge, 30 May 2019: The next morning. The excitement is growing. More than 15,000 graduands, students, parents and staff, await the start of Commencement.
Angela Merkel waits with the others who are to be awarded an honorary doctoral degree at the start of the university's 368th Commencement celebrations.
On the way to the ceremony the Chancellor greets graduands.
Angela Merkel was awarded the honorary degree by Harvard in recognition of her untiring efforts to foster international cooperation, and ensure respect for human dignity and democratic ideals.
She was awarded an honorary doctor of law degree from the Harvard Law School.
Harvard's Commencement ceremony follows time-honoured traditions.
Before celebrations continued, the Chancellor met with the Governor of Massachusetts, Charles Baker, in the Widener Library.
In the afternoon Chancellor Angela Merkel held the closing speech in front of this year's Harvard University graduates. "Anything that seems set in stone or inalterable can indeed change."