Mothers of Europe is an initiative that tells the story of the pioneering achievements of women who helped shape modern Europe—women who championed democracy, social progress, and justice, yet remain underrepresented in history.
Read the publication on Mothers of Europe in English | German
The project is part of a series of exhibitions held in three German cities and 15 locations across Europe by our partners, showcasing the contributions of these “Founding Mothers”. The exhibitions will be accompanied by a publication that delves deeper into the historical background of these women’s important work.
Read the publication on Mothers of Europe in English | German
The project is part of a series of exhibitions held in three German cities and 15 locations across Europe by our partners, showcasing the contributions of these “Founding Mothers”. The exhibitions will be accompanied by a publication that delves deeper into the historical background of these women’s important work.
Opening session 21st of October, 2024 in Berlin
The opening session celebrated the impactful, yet often unseen, contributions of women and queer individuals to European integration and democratic values. Aileen McKay, a social entrepreneur focused on inclusion and empowerment, delivered a keynote on “positivity, power, and positionality,” drawing on Hannah Arendt’s idea that true power is collective and inseparable from positionality. She highlighted two types of positionality—both inherited (social, economic, and gendered backgrounds) and chosen (values and political stances)—and underscored the need for privilege-aware allyship. The first panel centered on women’s political empowerment, featuring McKay and Ana-Maria Trăsnea, co-founder of the Women’s Leadership Network, who inspired young women toward civic leadership. The second panel explored challenges women face in sharing their stories, with activist Martin Speer, European Youth Forum’s Magali Hubers, and Helen Neitemeier from Wir für Demokratie sharing insights on building allyship. Participants left with a strengthened understanding of women’s essential roles in European history and values, inspired by discussions on allyship, language’s role in empowerment, and practical strategies for fostering equity. In a lunch talk, Berlin-based experts provided recommendations for shaping the accompanying exhibition, suggesting the inclusion of FLINTA-identifying leaders, collaborations with local changemakers, interactive elements, multimedia engagement, and intergenerational perspectives. Together, the event and exhibition reinforced solidarity and commitment to advancing women’s leadership and gender equity across Europe.
The ESMT Berlin kindly provided the venue, for which we are deeply grateful.
A full overview of the opening expert session, and related insights is available in the EDS report here.
BERLIN
Exhibition: March 10 – April 6, 2025, Rotes Rathaus
The exhibition was first presented at the beautiful Rotes Rathaus in Berlin, a fitting venue to launch this journey through history. It pays tribute to the pioneering women who shaped modern Europe — women who fought for democracy, equality, and social change. With an average daily attendance of approximately 350 visitors, the exhibition engaged thousands of individuals.
Opening event: March 17, 2025, Rotes Rathaus
The Opening event of the exhibition was an amazing opportunity to engage in insightful discussions about Women’s leadership and the challenges we need/can overcome together. It was a privilege to have Shila Behjat – a journalist, publicist, presenter with German-Iranian roots and author of Raising Sons as a Feminist; Cornelia Spachtholz – Chairman of the board Verband berufstätiger Mütter e. V. (VBM), initiator of Equal Pension Day, initiator #MeForHer.International.; Helene Banner – international keynote speaker on women leadership, leadership trainer, founder of “Let’s Just Be Imperfect, Ladies” and former EU spokesperson.; Tanja Polonyi – Policy & Advocacy Lead I Member of BRAND NEW BUNDESTAG; Fair Share for Women Artists – alliance and initiative by visual artists, art historians, and cultural workers advocating for gender equality and increased visibility for women artists in the public art world. Their participation was an opportunity for collaboration and growth. Even in the 21st century, we are still unaware that women in Europe played a critical role in advocating for family and gender equality, and this project, in addition to creating collective memory, also seeks to find alternatives to better support working mothers, promote gender equality, and ensure that women have access to the resources they need to balance family and career. Beyond the discussions and panels, the exhibition also included a powerful art performance that highlighted gender equality, visibility, and participation. Fair share! women artists in pink presented performative reading on gender equality, visibility, utopias, and participation. This performance offered a creative and emotional perspective on the issues, making the event a memorable and transformative experience.
We are thankful to the State of Berlin for sponsoring the venue of the Berlin Mothers of Europe Exhibition.
For a comprehensive overview of the project, key insights from the panels, and additional details, please read the full EDS report here.
MUNICH
Exhibition: April 10 – June 27, 2025, Neues Rathaus
Following its showcase in Berlin, the Mothers of Europe exhibition arrived in Munich, continuing to honor the pioneering women who helped shape modern Europe. The exhibition in Neues Rathaus welcomed an average of around 300 visitors per day.
Opening event: May 7, 2025, Neues Rathaus
The Mothers of Europe exhibition opened in Munich’s historic ‘Kleiner Sitzungssaal’, also known as the ‘Weißwurstzimmer’. With its original 19th-century oak furnishings, French-style fireplace, and grand Augsburg chandelier, the room reflects European heritage. Often used to welcome global dignitaries, it was a fitting venue for this symbolic event in the heart of Bavaria. The opening event brought together voices from politics, civil society, and the arts. At the beginning, Christian Scharpf (Advisor for Labour and Economy, City of Munich), State Minister Ulrike Scharf, and Cornelia Spachtholz (Chairwoman of the Association of Working Mothers) all expressed strong support for Mothers of Europe – Gründerinnen einer Idee. They highlighted the essential role women have always played in shaping Europe and called for more visible female role models to inspire future generations. Their message was clear: empowering women is crucial for building a more equal society – and they thanked Alliance4Europe for making this vision tangible through the exhibition.A panel discussion followed, featuring voices from politics, the economy, science, and social advocacy. Nicole Lassal (equal opportunities officer at the city of Munich) and Maryam Giyahchi (chairwoman of Munich Women’s Association) brought political and social perspectives; Paulina Jänsch (founding partner of Leanox Impact Capital) offered insights as a leading investor; and Prof. Jana Diesner (chair of Human-Centred Computing, TUM) addressed the challenges women face in the evolving world of AI. The conversation focused on shared experiences of overcoming gender-based barriers and the need to redefine societal roles – not just for women, but for men too. The panellists advocated for a shift that relieves men from outdated expectations and gives equal value to care work, often still shouldered by women.
The evening concluded with a stirring performance by artist Tamara Banez. Among other feminist pieces, she performed the project’s original Mothers of Europe song, carrying powerful messages like “We are her story,” “We are women’s history,” and “Our children want women who inspire them.” Written specially for the exhibition, her music offered a passionate call to rethink history – and to recognise women as central figures in both our past and our future. Listen to the full Mothers of Europe song here.
We would like to thank our cooperation partners, Landshauptstadt München and Europe Direct München for the support and the organisation of this event.
To learn more about the Munich edition of the project, including major takeaways and in-depth information, access the full EDS report here.
Cologne
Exhibition: June 2 – July 11, 2025, VHS-Studienhaus
After its stops in Berlin and Munich, the Mothers of Europe exhibition continued its journey to Cologne. Set in the bustling and lively VHS, the exhibition pays tribute to the visionary women who laid the foundations for modern Europe. The Cologne venue recorded consistent daily attendance of approximately 300 visitors.
Accompanying event: July 9, 2025, VHS-Studienhaus
The exhibition Mothers of Europe – Gründerinnen einer Idee in Cologne marked the conclusion of the German part of the project, attracting a broad and diverse audience. On July 9, the accompanying evening program opened with welcoming remarks from Dennis Michels (City of Cologne/VHS) and project manager Carola Hesse (Alliance4Europe). Murielle Guéguen, Chair of the Women’s Council NRW, underlined the exhibition’s role in increasing visibility and fostering dialogue on women’s contributions to European history. Cornelia Spachtholz (Association of Working Mothers) highlighted political lobbying efforts for mothers and read an open letter from pregnant MEPs demanding voting rights during maternity leave – rights still absent even within the European Parliament. Johanna Schima (Make Mothers Matter) presented findings from a survey of 11,000 European mothers, showing that many in Germany suffer from mental overload. The subsequent ‘Breaking Barriers’ panel addressed leadership, childcare, and mental health, pointing to the lack of childcare provision in Germany and proposing solutions such as part-time and dual leadership models. Differences in support systems for mothers in France and Germany were explored, for example in terms of childcare and returning to work after becoming a mother. France places greater emphasis on early, institutional, free, and full-day childcare as part of its education policy, and it is the norm to return to work full-time early on, supported by comprehensive childcare provision. Germany traditionally has a more family-oriented model, and the return to work often happens later and on a part-time basis, with greater career setbacks, partly due to gaps in childcare provision and different social expectations. Artists Derya Kaptan and David Lunera then performed a dance piece on femininity and queer identity. Watch the performance here. It culminated in a collective singing of “I am Superwoman – Yes I am” and the evening concluded with networking over drinks and snacks, sparking new collaborations and exchanges. Participants left with a deeper understanding of women’s roles in European integration and the ongoing challenges faced by working mothers. The event also underscored a pressing truth: in Germany and across much of Europe, genuine equality for women in leadership and proper recognition of motherhood’s contribution to society remain goals still far from being achieved.
We are thankful to our partners VHS and Verband berufstätiger Mütter for their continued support to the Cologne edition of this project.
To learn more about the Cologne edition of the project, including major takeaways and in-depth information, access the full EDS report here.
Mothers of Europe has received funding under Grant Agreement no 101143916, from the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) programme. Project is implemented in 6 countries (Czechia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland and Spain).
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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