TOP-CLASS LINEUP AT THE EUROPEAN FORUM ALPBACH 2023

In just a few weeks, this year’s European Forum Alpbach (EFA) will begin, and once again visitors can look forward to an exciting programme from 19 August to 2 September with the general theme “Bold Europe”. The countless discussions, workshops, chats and hikes will this year again focus on the four thematic tracks of the Forum: Rallying for Climate Action, Fighting for Europe’s Economic Sovereignty, Securing Europe in a Multipolar World and Reinforcing Democracy in Europe. Technology and Innovation will be included as cross-cutting themes in many sessions.

What is new this year is the adapted module structure. ”We are convinced that cross-disciplinary discourse – across all sectors – is the right approach to create concrete ideas and solutions together. We thus want to offer our participants a wide range of exciting contents as well as numerous networking opportunities", Feri Thierry, EFA Secretary General, explains. "The big participation of partners proves to us that we are on the right track."

The Erste Group is again our main partner and highlights their commitment to the puropse of the European Forum Alpbach with #believeineurope. Among our premium partners are the Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB, Signa, Tyrol, the Ministry for Climate Action (BMK) and the Austrian Institute of Technology. The Federation of Austrian Industries and the Austrian Economic Chambers are also on board. Our number of philantropic partners is also increasing, including the Erste Foundation and other sizeable European foundations. Also international companies like Google, booking.com or Nestlé are partners of EFA.

As in the past, the “Alpbach Seminars” (19 August – 24 August) kick off the European Forum Alpbach with the Welcome Opening with over 600 scholarship holders from all over the world. For five days, young participants will receive inspiration and new food for thought. “The dialogue with the next generation is particularly close to my heart and is an essential part of the event. Over 600 scholarship holders from all over the world come to Alpbach year after year to share their views and raise their voices; at the Forum they are heard. It is an eye-to-eye discourse that shows decision-makers how the next generation of Europe thinks and imagines its future. This is certainly uncomfortable at times for some, but it is a very honest and direct exchange that I support with the utmost conviction. I am very much looking forward to this year and am excited to see what ideas emerge”, says Andreas Treichl, EFA President.

At the same time as the seminar days, the “Euregio Days” will start, where people from the Tyrol/South Tyrol/Trentino region will meet to award prizes for outstanding research and innovation. The festive highlight is the Tyrol Day.

At the “Lab Days” (24 August – 27 August), a total of ten labs will be held to explore specific issues together with 30 to 40 selected experts. In addition, the participants will be offered exciting sessions with a large number of international changemakers from all areas, including numerous international foundations. The “Europe in the World Days” (27 August – 30 August) will increasingly focus on European stakeholders: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskay, Belarusian opposition leader, Sergei Guriev, Professor of Economics, Oby Ezekwesili, Founder of Human Capital Africa, Anu Bradford, Professor of Law and International Organisation, Columbia Law School, Maria Mezentseva, Chair of the Ukrainian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Carl Bildt, Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Karoline Edtstadler, Minister for Europe, and Alexander Schallenberg, Minister for Foreign Affairs. You can also expect a strong focus on technology and innovation these days. Minister of Technology Leonore Gewessler and Minister of Science Martin Polaschek will also be participating. “This year we have once again succeeded in bringing interesting personalities to Alpbach, both international experts and political decision-makers from Europe and Austria. There are three female national bank governors in Europe and two of them, Anita Bzhoska (Northern Macedonia) and Signe Krogstrup (Denmark), will be in Alpbach this year – which is one of my highlights”, explains Andreas Treichl.

At the “Austria in Europe Days” (30 August – 2 September), you can expect mainly Austrian decision-makers, including Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and many government members, such as Minister of Economics and Labour Martin Kocher, Minister of Climate Leonore Gewessler, Minister of Finance Magnus Brunner, Minister of Agriculture Norbert Totschnig and Minister of Justice Alma Zadic.