Contact:
Dr. Wilfried Seywald
Phone: +43 699 18114006
E-Mail: presse@fresach.org
- Cultures
- Pluralism
- DENK.RAUM.FRESACH
- Europäische Toleranzgespräche
- Talks
- Carinthia
- Fresach
- Dialogue
- Europe
- Tolerance
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Vienna (ptp017/18.03.2015/13:10) - PEN Club Austria, the Evangelical Church and the Club Carinthia on Wednesday presented the program of the European Tolerance Talks in Vienna. The international event from 21st to 23rd May 2015 in the Carinthian mountain village Fresach with the theme "How far does tolerance go? Tasks for the state, economy and society" is curated by former MEP Hannes Swoboda. Around 20 thinkers, scientists, philosophers and economists take part in the two days session with their theses and visions of a better world. European Parliament President Martin Schulz and Federal President Heinz Fischer have confirmed their attendance. http://www.fresach.org
The Protestant Bishop Michael Bünker told reporters, tolerance as an attitude of openness, interest in one another and attempts to understanding is necessary in Europe more than ever. "Today, anti-Islamic movements, racism and anti-Semitism in many countries are growing in a threatening manner. Tolerance requires courage and determination to fight against intolerance wherever it occurs, and encourage a culture of dialogue and understanding, respect and recognition. Fresach is going to face this challenge at the right time and the right place and thus contributes to the peaceful coexistence in a pluralistic and secular society."
The President of the Denk.Raum.Fresach board, Hannes Swoboda, said at the launch of the program, due to its geographical location and history, Fresach is an excellent ground for dealing with the diversity of our European societies. The small mountain village has a unique opportunity in the exciting region Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli, to associate local and regional peculiarities with the idea of European unification.
PEN President Helmuth A. Niederle recalled the importance of tolerance for the artistic and literary work that will also be shown and discussed within the contributions in Fresach. The PEN Club has always advocated freedom of opinion and emphasizes respect for the integrity of the people at the same time. The tolerance talks provide the ability to maintain the free play of thoughts, which is often neglected in political discourse.
Not forget humanistic values
The IT expert and event manager Alexander Loisel, representative of the Club Carinthia in Vienna, pointed out that the large technology companies in Silicon Valley today push the internet-related digitization in all areas of life and thus only provide economic benefits, efficiency and increased speed in the foreground. The European Tolerance Talks as an alternative communication forum were created to identify ways that humanistic values are not forgotten within the ongoing process of change.
Top speakers in Fresach
In addition to prominent politicians and media managers from across Europe many thinkers have already confirmed their participation: The journalists Roland Barazon, Philo Ikonya, Martin Traxl and Sonja Sagmeister, the authors Alois Brandstetter, Fabjan Hafner and Právu Mazumdar, the Romanist Zohra Bouchentouf-Siagh, the gender researcher Claudia Brunner, migration anthropologist Christa Markom, the Middle East expert Karin Kneissl and Slovene management trainer Danica Purg.
In terms of dialogue Fresach can refer to a good tradition: From 1972 to 1993 until the fall of the Iron Curtain, a small community of international writers here discussed ways out of the East-West conflict. The Denk.Raum.Fresach continues this tradition and links the again urgent East-West dialogue (Russia and China) with the urgent becoming North-South dialogue (Africa, Islam).
The first European Tolerance Talks in 2015 are mostly financed by private memberships and corporate partnerships, public support is still being negotiated. Tickets are available from 80 and 200 euros, Club members, students and university staff get 50% discount. Registrations, memberships and sponsorships are possible on the website. http://www.fresach.org
Press contact: Dr. Wilfried Seywald, presse@fresach.org, Tel 0699-18114006.
Photos of the event are forthcoming on http://www.fotodienst.at
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