Representatives of politics, business and culture on thursday, 22nd January, presented the newly founded Denk.Raum.Fresach in Klagenfurt, an association for tolerance and integration in Europe. The platform is going to organize European tolerance talks in the small mountain village Fresach on 22/23rd May 2015, and European Parliament President Martin Schulz has already agreed to come. The President of the Board, Hannes Swoboda, at the launch said: “Due to its geographical location and history Fresach is an excellent background for dealing with the diversity of our European societies. Fresach has the unique opportunity in the exciting region of Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli, to connect local and regional peculiarities with the idea of the European unification.” At the presentation of Denk.Raum.Fresach the president of the Carinthian parliament, Reinhart Rohr, Industry Carinthia’s Managing Director Claudia Mischensky, University Rector Oliver Vitouch, PEN Austria-President Helmuth A. Niederle and the evang. Superintendent Manfred Sauer were present. Rohr pointed out the great opportunity for Fresach, to become a center of dialogue and far beyond the country’s borders to become an European focal point. Superintendent Sauer added, especially in view of the recent terrible experiences with religiously motivated terrorism all parties are challenged to investigate the cause and to develop possible new models of coexistence.” The first European tolerance talks in May will be dedicated to the topic “How far does tolerance go? Duties of state, economy and society”. The city of Villach has already committed financial support. University Rector Vitouch stressed the tolerance talks could make a very concrete and tangible contribution to an open, pluralistic and anxiety-free future. The interdisciplinary approach of Fresach with participants from art, culture, science and politics could lead to new and successful food for thought in terms of dialogue and integration in Carinthia, and become a regional flagship project with national appeal: “Carinthian courage to openness as a model for Austria and Europe.”
