Start of the Academic Year 2024-2025: City of People and Rights

The annual celebration of the start of the academic year of Utrecht University will take place at 2 September 2024.

Livestream

Livestream timestamps

• 18:00 opening speech Anton Pijpers
• 33:48 keynote Sharon Dijksma
• 50:16 keynote Antoine Buyse
• 1:17:15 student awards
• 1:37:03 closing speech Henk Kummeling

Speeches

• Opening Speech Anton Pijpers (pdf)
• Speech Sharon Dijksma (pdf)
• Speech Antoine Buyse (pdf)
• Speech Henk Kummeling (pdf)

City of People and Rights

This year's Start of the Academic Year is dedicated to human rights and its significance for the university and the city of Utrecht. Human rights are the foundation of a democracy. Therefore, it is especially important at this time to reflect on this together with the city in a good atmosphere.

During the celebration, Anton Pijpers will deliver his opening speech on human rights: on the role of the university and on our collaboration with the city of Utrecht.

Keynote speaker is the mayor of Utrecht, Sharon Dijksma. She talks about how Utrecht, city of human rights, is working towards a city where everyone counts.

Professor Antoine Buyse will then take us through the topicality of 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He is a full professor of human rights from a multidisciplinary perspective and director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM). On screen and stage, students, scientists and locals will speak about Utrecht: City of People and Rights. Read more about the project at uu.nl/uvrm.

In addition, Margot van der Starre will announce the winners of the Student Awards: one for Best Master’s Thesis, the Vliegenthart Thesis Award, and the award for Social Impact. The nominees will be announced in mid-July.

A closing reflection will be provided by Henk Kummeling.