On September 1, 2022, I was appointed professor of Cyber Security at this university. This means setting up lines of research, recruiting colleagues who are interested in and knowledgeable about cyber research, and putting our research group on the map throughout the Netherlands with its own identity and direction of research. All of this has gone well, and in recent years, the research group has set up research projects in the field of cyber security with great energy and enthusiasm. I am very grateful to my colleagues and fellow researchers for the work they have done over the past three years. The theme of the research group is: Cybersecurity for a safer world. And as everyone will realize, this theme has become very important in recent years. The research group positions cyber security in the context of the overall security of the Netherlands, the security of Europe, and also in the context of Peace in Europe. After the fall of the Iron Curtain at the end of the 1980s and after the break-up of Yugoslavia, I had the impression that we were entering a long period of peace. Throughout the centuries, Europe has always been the scene of war after war, and the 20th century was no exception. If we have learned anything from the 20th century, it is that we no longer want war in Europe or, in a broader context, anywhere in the world. Europe has developed a strong sense of peace and international justice, and European countries have been able to resolve their differences diplomatically. The European Union has undoubtedly played an important role in this. For our country, peace and security have taken an important and prominent place in the Netherlands. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are located in The Hague, which respectively rule on conflicts between states and on individuals who have violated the international legal order. I grew up in the post-war period when the words “Never Again,” “Nooit Weer,” “Nie Wieder” were often used to express the sentiment that arose after the end of the Second World War. These words bear witness to this feeling of peace, based on the lessons we learned from the previous century. Europe has been very successful in this regard and has lived in relative peace for 70 years. But to my surprise and shock, and I am certainly not alone in this, Europe is once again the scene of a large-scale war. The destruction and loss of life within Europe are once again unimaginable. The European countries and NATO have responded to this by significantly increasing their armament, under the banner of security. In my view, peace and security are two different concepts. Increasing armament leads to greater security, but not necessarily to greater peace. Achieving true peace requires more than just increasing armament. This is why I decided to broaden the theme of my final symposium to the subject of Peace in Europe. Numerous diplomatic initiatives are currently underway to achieve peace. Consultations within NATO, consultations with Ukraine and Russia, mediation attempts, all against a backdrop of continuous military build-up. The Netherlands has more than eighty peace movements. Non-governmental organizations support war victims, bring aid to people in conflict areas, and draw the attention of governments to the right of every human being on earth to peace. These are meaningful initiatives and they partially alleviate the suffering caused by war. However, the question is, should we not do more? In other words, the question I have asked myself as a European and as a global citizen is, can I personally, as an individual, contribute to peace in Europe? Given the escalation of the conflict in recent years, I am not convinced that traditional solutions involving diplomacy and further armament alone will lead to constructive solutions. Are there alternatives? How can we, as individuals, contribute to peace for the future of Europe? Peace in Europe has been a pressing question for me personally in recent years. If there is a concrete approach to creating peace, then I believe that we as Europeans have a moral and historical responsibility to pursue all possible avenues to achieve this. As a scientist, I am interested in solutions that have been proven to work. Is there a scientifically based approach to creating peace? Are there studies that indicate that permanent peace can be created? I recently came into contact with the Global Union of Scientists for Peace. The Global Union of Scientists for Peace is a worldwide organization to which many prominent scientists, politicians, and military personnel belong. It is an organization dedicated to the prevention of terrorism, war, and social violence through the application of innovative, field-tested, and proven solutions. They advocate for a solution that has been successfully tested in practice multiple times. In my opinion, they offer an approach that is worth trying and can create peace for Europe and the rest of the world. I am very pleased to introduce Dr. John Hagelin, international president of the Global Union of Scientists for Peace. John Hagelin is a respected quantum physicist. His publications in the field of grand unification theory, supersymmetry, and cosmology are among the most cited references in the natural sciences. He is working on developing an explanation for dark matter based on superstring theory. In addition, John is a prominent advocate for peace. As international director of the Global Union, he has launched numerous initiatives and given presentations on creating peace, including at meetings of Nobel Prize winners. In my opinion, the approach advocated by Global Union deserves to be more widely known. This is why I am inviting John to explore whether his approach to creating peace can also be used and applied in the Netherlands. I would like to invite John Hagelin, respected quantum physicist, champion of peace, and Director of the Global Union of Scientists for Peace, to give his presentation at my farewell symposium. I invite everyone to listen to John Hagelin's presentation.