Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger is President of the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz/SPK (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) since 2008. Consisting of 25 museums, libraries, archives, and research institutions, the SPK is one the largest cultural institution in the world. Prof. Parzinger has conducted 30 years of archaeological field research in many European countries as well as in the Near East and in Central Asia. Before joining SPK he was an Assistant Professor at Munich University (1986-90), later Director (1990-2003) and President (2003-2008) of the German Archaeological Institute. In 1996 has was appointed Honorary Professor at Free University in Berlin. Parzinger has received several awards, among them the Leibniz Prize. He holds international Honorary Doctoral degrees, is a member of various Academies of Sciences in Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Rumania, Russia, China and the USA, and has received decorations from Germany, Spain and Italy.
The research community must fight for its values, and defend itself against increasing tendencies to restrict its freedom by right-wing parties. The war in Ukraine is an enormous challenge for the future of Europe, and research in Europe therefore has to strengthen its international ties and global networks.“