Dahlem was the last stop of his official inaugural visit to the state of Berlin. In mid-October, at the end of a long day that started early in the morning at the wheel of a subway, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Freie Universität Berlin.

He had requested an opportunity to meet with students and researchers who had come to Germany as refugees and are now studying or working at various universities in Berlin.

“Our university was founded as a result of political persecution and increasing moves to eliminate academic freedom,” said Professor Peter-André Alt, the president of Freie Universität, “so I could not imagine a more appropriate place for this event.”