His Excellency Klaus Scharioth, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States of America, visited the University of Virginia on Thursday, April 16th, 2009. Scharioth's visit was at the invitation of President John T. Casteen III and the recently founded U.Va. Center for German Studies. In addition to giving a public lecture on "The Transatlantic Agenda" in the Rotunda Dome Room, Scharioth attended a private luncheon with a group of faculty and top U.Va. administrators, followed by a tour of the Grounds. He also met with students and invited guests at a reception and discuss, "Warum Deutsch(land) heute?" ("Why German(y) today?"

The events were sponsored by the Center for German Studies, the Ambassadors Forum of the Office of the Vice Provost for International Programs, the College of Arts & Sciences and others.