Recap: Opening Academic Year 2022 - 2023 'Resilience'

Inspiring speeches, sparkling music and a beautiful setting: the Opening of the Academic Year 2022 - 2023 in the Martini Church in Groningen on 5 September 2022, themed around 'Resilience' was a great success.

Sociologist and 'bullying professor' René Veenstra kicked off the ceremony with a beautiful speech about the results of his research into bullying behavior and how it can be prevented. State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Maarten van Ooijen was also a guest, and talked to neuroscientist Marie-José van Tol about mental health and the importance of more research into this subject. Van Ooijen: "Groningen can be of progressive significance when it comes to the mental health of students."

NOS-Russia correspondent Iris de Graaf received the Alumnus of the Year award from Rector Magnificus Cisca Wijmenga, after a wonderful speech in which she also praised her alma mater. Watch the video shown at the ceremony:

Student Yasmine Bouzoraa suibsequently talked about her experience as a student and the resilience she sees around her. Finally, the new UG poet-in-residence Yfke Bethlehem read a poem. Student music association Bragi provided beautiful musical interludes that echoed through the church.

Our Rector Magnificus Cisca Wijmenga held the opening speech, in which she shines light on resilience from different perspectives. The speech is available to read:

Some pictures of the ceremony taken by photographers Pjotr Wiese and Reyer Boxem:

More photos can be found on the website of Pjotr Wiese. 

Interested in the full ceremony? You can watch it here: