Universities are key venues for education in democracy – it is here that students learn to think critically and to conduct research. Just as in society at large, fundamental rights also form the foundation for peaceful coexistence and learning at university. In keeping with this, the travelling exhibition ‘Fundamental Rights – More Than Just Words’ will be open to the public at the Kleve campus of the university from 7 May to 29 May 2026.
The exhibition features large-format photographs, combined with extracts from the Basic Law, as well as illustrated scenes from everyday life that highlight the relevance of these fundamental rights. They serve as a reminder of just how valuable a liberal constitution is. The exhibition aims to inspire people to make fundamental rights visible, tangible and open to discussion, including in dialogue between generations and social groups. The exhibition is on display at the Kleve Campus (2nd floor of Building 4) of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and is open Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.
As part of the exhibition, the university is also hosting a lecture entitled ‘Democracy in Danger? On the current state of liberal democracy in Germany and Europe’ by Prof. Dr Jakob Lempp, Professor of Political Science specialising in International Relations, on 19 May 2026 at 7.00 pm. The travelling exhibition has been provided by the Constitutional Court of North Rhine-Westphalia and was curated by Dr Dirk Gilberg, himself a judge at the Constitutional Court of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster. The exhibition is held under the patronage of Christoph Gerwers, District Administrator of the Kleve district, and is organised by the Lions Club Niederrhein. University President Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen is part of the supporting initiative ‘Demokratie Niederrhein’.
Admission to the exhibition is free. Groups of more than 15 people and interested school classes are asked to register by emailing events@hochschule-rhein-waal.de.
