(26.04.16) In April the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the Russian Foundation for Humanities (RFH) jointly organised a Leibniz lecture for the second time. This year, the historian Hartmut Leppin (University of Frankfurt) addressed an audience of students and researchers numbering around 100 on the subject of "Early Christianity and Religious Violence" in the White Room of the Fundamental Library at Lomonosov University in Moscow.

Having given a highly acclaimed lecture at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU) last year, Hartmut Leppin returned to Moscow this year in response to a number of invitations and presented seminars at the Faculty of History of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) and at Lomonosov University. The highlight of his visit was the fifth DFG Leibniz lecture in Russia which took place in the "Intellectual Centre" of the Fundamental Library at the Moscow State University (MSU). The lecture was preceded by a meeting with the Rector Viktor Sadovnichiy, who heartily welcomed the 2015 Leibniz Prize winner to his university.

The invitation to attend the Leibniz lecture at Lomonosov University drew an audience of 100 from various Moscow universities and research institutions. The event took place in the grandly appointed White Room of the Library and was chaired by Sergey Karpov, the President of the Faculty of History. Alexei Khokhlov, the Pro-rector of the host university, welcomed the audience. He also opened the first Leibniz lecture at the MSU in 2012. Andreas Meitzner, the Envoy and Permanent Representative of the Ambassador, emphasised the special significance accorded to the DFG's Leibniz lecture series as a forum for academic dialogue between Germany and Russia. Martin Krispin from the German House for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Moscow also highlighted the platform provided in this respect by the DWIH, which supports the DFG and top-level researchers in the presentation of their work.

Vasily Grebenyuk (RFH) and Jörn Achterberg (DFG Moscow) addressed the audience briefly and referred to the successful collaboration between the institutions of the partner organisations, which intend to arrange an annual joint Leibniz lecture in the humanities and social sciences to be given in Russia on future occasions. The DFG organises Leibniz Lectures, given by recipients of Germany's most important research prize, in countries all over the world where Germany has a diplomatic mission. The lectures present the latest topics of top-level research in Germany and opportunities for bilateral cooperation. The idea of the lecture series is for Leibniz prizewinners to act as ambassadors for German research. A study of the publication output of prize recipients by Lucy Amez (Brussels) illustrates the high potential for international cooperation.

Further information

• Invitation to Hartmut Leppin's Leibniz lecture
• Handout for Hartmut Leppin's Leibniz Lecture
• Leibniz Study