On January 31, 2025, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) canceled a previously approved lecture on “Colonialism, Human Rights and International Law” by Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, an international human rights lawyer, Affiliate Scholar at the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University, and Senior Advisor on Migration and Forced Displacement for the think tank Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development.

The “Decolonial Practices Group,” which includes LMU faculty members, doctoral, and master’s students, had scheduled the event for February 16 and reserved a lecture hall at LMU. LMU confirmed the use of the lecture hall for the event, but canceled the reservation shortly after the event was announced. According to an LMU spokesperson, the event was canceled because it was a “general political event” rather than something that was “integrated into a scientific conference.” The spokesperson stated that this had only been noticed during a “later routine review of room requests.”

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the cancellation of a previously approved on-campus, academic event. Higher education leaders should respect academic freedom by refraining from restrictions on academic activity. Attempts to limit academic discussion and exchange undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://x.com/FranceskAlbs/status/1885703501516267743
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchen-lmu-vortrag-albanese-israel-palaestina-absage-li.3196180
https://www.juedische-allgemeine.de/politik/ludwigs-maximilian-universitaet-verweigert-francesca-albanese-hoersaal/