Children's University Siegen: "The colorful diversity of Europe"

Europe is the focus of the fall season of the Siegen Children's University. The European Union consists of a total of 27 member states. The founding members in 1958 were Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. There are now 21 other countries in the EU: Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus. Great Britain, however, left the Union again after Brexit. 24 official languages are spoken in the EU. There are also many regional languages and dialects. There are no longer any internal borders within the European Union. The single market is one of the largest in the world and is characterized by the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The euro has been the common currency for around 25 years, even if it is not the official currency in all EU countries.

In the fall season of the Siegen Children's University, we will be exploring five topics together that shed light on different aspects of Europe.

It starts on September 1, 2026, the last day of the summer vacations in NRW. Not only Children's University children are invited, but also their families and other interested parties. The trip will take them to a non-EU country, to Geneva in Switzerland. This is home to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, where the origins of our universe are being researched using a huge underground accelerator and detectors. Prof. Dr. Thomas Mannel, a physicist from the University of Siegen, has been involved in the research for many years. His topic is: "What happens at CERN - the largest laboratory in the world?". Content: CERN is one of the largest research facilities in the world and is regarded as a successful model for international cooperation. The lecture will describe the history of CERN, what research is being carried out at CERN and how the countries and scientists there work together. Recent developments in the world also have an impact on CERN, and how CERN reacts to them will be described.

On September 8, 2026, English scholar Prof. Dr. Daniel Stein will answer the question "Languages in Europe and why we learn them. Can AI do the same?" About the content: There are around 200 languages in Europe, and the European Union has 24 official and working languages. How can communication work in this linguistic confusion, and what might go wrong? Why is it important to preserve linguistic diversity and promote the learning of foreign languages? And why can AI help us to communicate, but in no way replace foreign language learning? The lecture aims to answer these questions and take the audience on an exciting journey into the world of multilingualism.

A very special experiment awaits the children on September 15, 2026. It's all about songs, singing and the joy of singing. District cantor Peter Scholl and a choir will be guests in the large lecture hall at the University of Siegen. His topic is "Music and songs from Europe: how do they connect us?" The topic: People in Europe speak many different languages - and yet they can sing together. But why does music connect people so strongly? What actually happens when we sing? And can music express feelings even if you don't understand the language? Together we discover songs from different European countries, try out our voices and sing together. In the process, we realize: Music can overcome borders and create community.

Money, money, money is the focus of interest on September 22, 2026. Prof. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt and Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Köhler (Center for Economic Education in Siegen at the University of Siegen, ZÖBIS) will be discussing the euro with their young audience. The title is: "The euro: origin, development and digital future of our money".

On September 29, 2026, the focus will be on fantasy and mysticism. Almost all children and adults love fairy tales and legends. In Germany, the Brothers Grimm collected fairy tales, wrote them down and ensured that they were not forgotten. "Europe's legends and fairy tales - What do they tell us about people and countries?" is the topic of literary scholar Dr. Jana Mikota. About the content: Whether brave heroes and heroines, magical creatures or mysterious forests - every region of Europe has its own stories and traditions. Fairy tales and legends have been part of European culture for centuries. They have been passed down from generation to generation and reflect people's wishes, fears, hopes and values. In this lecture, we will discover together what these tales tell us about the people, countries and cultural characteristics of Europe.

As usual, before the start of the first event on September 1, all children will receive lanyards (if you still have a children's university lanyard at home, you are welcome to bring it with you), a children's university ID card, pens and sheets of paper. A stamp will be placed in the ID card for each Kinderuni participation. Anyone who can show at least three stamps at the end of the season will receive a children's university diploma. Registration is open online via the website: kinderuni-siegen.de

The Children's University Siegen is supported by Sparkasse Siegen, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and Siegener Versorgungsbetriebe (SVB).