Start of the European Forum Alpbach 2024 – A Total of 4,000 Participants Expected
Under the annual theme “Moment of Truth” around 400 sessions take place from 17 to 30 August. The key topics are Democracy, Finance, Security and Climate.
With today’s Tyrol Day, this year’s European Forum Alpbach kicks off its programme with the first highlight. “Every year in Alpbach, the most innovative minds from politics, science, business, arts, and culture come together. We bring together decisionmakers from Europe and the world to engage in conversations across all political and social boundaries”, EFA President Andreas Treichl explains.
This year, the kick-off module Euregio Days focuses on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Innovative research projects are presented and awarded as part of the programme. The Euregio Summit on 18 August addresses the opportunities and challenges that AI brings for the Euroregion Tyrol/South Tyrol/Trentino. Treichl: “Since 1945, the European Forum Alpbach has been a place to work on solutions for the most important issues of our time. Artificial intelligence is clearly one of them. We want to showcase advanced projects in this area from the Tyrol/South Tyrol/Trentino region. The discussions during the Euregio Days demonstrate that these new developments are not just about economic questions but also societal challenges.”
General Information about EFA24
This year’s theme of EFA24, “Moment of Truth”, refers to the pivotal decisions that are going to be made in the super-election year of 2024. Decisions that test Europe in a time of polycrises, with ongoing wars, high living costs, and climate catastrophes. The approximately 4,000 participants from the fields of politics, business, civil society, culture, and science – including 500 scholarship holders selected from 7,500 applications – work together to find solutions to these challenges.
Treichl: “The European Forum Alpbach relies on open exchange across generations and brings together people with diverse experiences. This creates an enormous energy, which we need to finally tackle the major tasks of our time and find sustainable new solutions. Europe has missed out on significant developments and accepted dependencies for too long. This can no longer continue. At EFA, you see that positive change is possible.”
As in the previous year, the European Forum Alpbach 2024 is divided into five modules.
During the “Euregio Days” (17 to 18 August), people from the Euroregion Tyrol/South Tyrol/Trentino come together in Alpbach. Outstanding research and innovation are honoured; and this Sunday's “Tyrol Day” is the first festive highlight of the two-week event.
The “Alpbach Seminars” (18 to 24 August) form the international kick-off for more than 600 scholarship holders from all over the world at the European Forum Alpbach – a central part of the Forum.
Specific questions are addressed at the “Lab Days” (22 to 24 August). Experts from a wide range of fields are working on solutions to predetermined issues.
The “Europe in the World Days” (24 to 27 August) bring together European stakeholders. Decisionmakers from European politics, business, science, and culture meet in Alpbach for the season opening.
The “Austria in Europe Days” (27 to 30 August) focus on Austria’s role in Europe. The most important players of civil society as well as entrepreneurs and politicians come to Alpbach to exchange ideas with each other and the next generation.