Conferral of an honorary doctorate on former Federal President Joachim Gauck

November 26, 2026, 6 p.m. CET (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) 
ESMT Berlin, Schlossplatz 1, 10178 Berlin 

This event will take place on campus. To attend, please register using the form below.

Please note that the ceremony will be held in German, with interpretation provided. 

It is our great pleasure to invite you to a very special occasion at ESMT Berlin: the conferral of our institution’s first honorary doctorate on former Federal President Joachim Gauck. 

With this distinction, ESMT honors Joachim Gauck’s lifelong commitment to freedom, democracy, and personal responsibility – principles that resonate deeply with our own values. For decades, his voice has shaped public debate on the foundations of a free society and the responsibility each of us carries within it. 

The setting of ESMT lends the ceremony particular significance. Once the seat of the State Council of the GDR, our campus is now a place of academic freedom, international exchange, and open dialogue, making it a fitting place to honor Joachim Gauck and his lifelong commitment to freedom and democracy. 

We would be delighted to celebrate this special occasion with you. A short reception will follow the conferral ceremony. 

Photo credit: The photo of former German Federal President Joachim Gauck in the email banner is credited to © J. Denzel-S. Kugler.