Minerva Weizmann Meeting 2024 – We will continue to work together
 

This year's Minerva Weizmann Meeting took place for the first time at the Max Planck administrative headquarters in Munich from October 8 to 10 - an event held in extremely difficult times.
 

The Minerva Weizmann Meeting took place under challenging circumstances this year: Since last year's meeting, which usually takes place annually at the Weizmann Institute near Tel Aviv, had to be canceled as a result of the Hamas terror attack against Israel on October 7, the Minerva management and the Minerva Weizmann Committee were particularly keen to hold this year's meeting not just online but in person due to the war and travel warnings. From October 8 to 10, the Minerva Weizmann Meeting therefore took place for the first time at the administrative headquarters of the Max Planck Society in Munich.

The research program is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and supports around eighty basic research projects in the fields of chemistry, physics, mathematics and the life sciences at the world-renowned Weizmann Institute of Science every year. In addition to reviewing excellent and innovative scientific projects, this year's focus was on personal exchange and dialog.

At the evening reception in the administrative headquarters, which was attended by President Patrick Cramer, Vice President Christian Doeller, Secretary General Simone Schwanitz and Minerva management Ulman Lindenberger and Maximilian Prugger, President Cramer focused on the universality of suffering in this conflict in a very moving speech: There are no simple answers, the immeasurable human suffering must be seen on both sides and ended immediately. Science could make a contribution to this by maintaining contact and dialog with partners and colleagues and taking a firm stand against hostility, misanthropy and anti-Semitism.