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Reception hosted by the Lord Mayor, Prof. Dr Eckart Würzner The City of Heidelberg invites you to the Town Hall

  • Friday, 24 July 2026, 13:00 - 14:30
  • Old Town, Heidelberg Town Hall
    • The event will be held mainly in English

We are delighted that the Lord Mayor, Prof. Dr Eckart Würzner, will personally greet and welcome the anniversary guests from all over the world in the Great Hall of Heidelberg Town Hall. In his keynote address, he will present Heidelberg as Germany’s ‘pearl of knowledge’ and highlight the unique link between academia and industry that makes the city an international hub for innovation and research. The reception that follows in the impressive Great Hall, designed in the Neo-Renaissance style with magnificent wood panelling, paintings and stained-glass windows featuring motifs from Palatinate history, offers the ideal setting for engaging in personal conversation, deepening contacts and further expanding the international alumni network.

Großer Rathaussaal Heidelberg

  • Address

    City of Heidelberg
    Town Hall
    Marktplatz 10
    69117 Heidelberg

  • Event Type

    Reception

    Networking

About

Prof. Dr Eckart Würzner came to Heidelberg in the early 1980s to study geography. He began his career with the city as an environmental adviser to senior management, before becoming Head of the Department for Environmental Protection, Energy and Health Promotion and, eventually, Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Energy. In 2006, he was elected Lord Mayor.

It was not only his studies and his PhD, but also his work for the City of Heidelberg that took Eckart Würzner abroad on numerous occasions. He lived in France and the USA, ran environmental seminars in Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office, and took part in numerous climate change conferences in Montreal, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Paris.

Eckart Würzner’s career has been shaped by climate action, environmental protection and sustainability; in his role as Lord Mayor, he places great emphasis on making Heidelberg a family-friendly city and laying the groundwork today to ensure that the city remains a great place to live for future generations.

Please note

  • The keynote speech and presentation will be in English.
  • Questions and networking can take place in English and/or German.
  • Drinks and snacks will be served at the reception.

All Dates of the Event '30 Years HAI'

23 to 26 July 2026 – Heidelberg University invites all HAI members and their families as well as members of the Gesellschaft der Freunde e.V. (GdF) to celebrate “30 Years HAI” in Heidelberg. In the summer atmosphere of Heidelberg, you can relive memories of your student days and at the same time rediscover your alma mater as a modern and forward-looking university.

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