Hamburg – ESI speaks with Hamburg students about Europe’s future

2 June 2026
ESI at the Dönhoff Gymnasium. Photo: ESI
ESI at the Dönhoff Gymnasium. Photo: ESI

ESI’s Gerald Knaus visited the Marion-Dönhoff-Gymnasium in Hamburg to discuss the future of European democracy with students and to explore the challenges facing an open and integrated Europe.

Gerald stressed that Europe’s miraculous achievements – peace, prosperity, freedom, and the rule of law – since the end of the Second World War should never be taken for granted. Instead, they are a result of a European integration project whose success was anything but assured, and which succeeded because of the collective efforts of visionaries and everyday citizens who wanted to create a better future for Europe.

Amidst growing pressure from both external and internal challenges – from Russia’s war against Ukraine to the rise of far-right nationalist – defending our progress requires a new generation willing to engage in democratic debate, think critically about information they encounter online, and communicate confidently about the benefits of European cooperation. Young Europeans, Gerald concluded, will play a decisive role in shaping whether Europe can remain an open, democratic, and united union in the decades ahead.