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Conversation with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Former Ambassador Robert Kimmitt
Monday, November 9, 2026
6:00 PM-8:00 PM CT
Viewing in Central TimeAdjust
Vanderbilt University, Central Library Lawn, 419 21st Ave S
Vanderbilt University, Central Library Lawn, 419 21st Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
This is a private, invitation-only event.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, Vanderbilt University welcomes a replica of Berlin’s historic Freedom Bell as part of its 2026 tour across the United States.
Held on November 9—the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall—this event takes place on a date that has come to symbolize freedom, change, and the overcoming of division.
Join us for a special evening featuring Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Robert M. Kimmitt in conversation examining the future of the transatlantic relationship, the enduring ties between the United States and Germany, and the role of democratic institutions, universities, and civil society in strengthening cooperation across the Atlantic. The conversation will be moderated by Ines Pohl, Washington Bureau Chief for Deutsche Welle (DW).
The original Freedom Bell was created in 1950 as a powerful symbol of freedom and transatlantic solidarity in the aftermath of the Berlin Blockade. Inspired by Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and supported by more than 16 million Americans who signed a declaration of freedom, the bell arrived in West Berlin in October 1950. Since then, it has rung daily from the tower of Schöneberg Town Hall as a lasting reminder of the shared democratic values connecting the United States and Germany.
The Axel Springer Freedom Foundation commissioned a replica of the Freedom Bell to bring it to communities across the United States in 2026. At Vanderbilt, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the bell alongside a special exhibition exploring its remarkable history, the Berlin Airlift, and the enduring transatlantic partnership.
The exhibition also invites visitors to consider the continuing importance of freedom, democracy, and a free press, as well as the responsibility of each generation to defend these principles.
This event is part of Dialogue Vanderbilt's 250 Conversations on America: Civil Discourse in Action, a yearlong series celebrating our nation's 250th anniversary and Vanderbilt's enduring commitment to open dialogue.
Presented by Dialogue Vanderbilt in partnership with the American Council on Germany, the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, Deutsche Welle (DW) and The Future of Free Speech.