With the biblical exodus from Egypt, the Israelites linked the hope for a better life in peace, freedom and prosperity. The digitized society is also looking for ways out of profit-driven slavery – with environmental destruction, climate change and global migration flows as consequences. International experts, poets and thinkers will find out what options Europe has at the 6th European Tolerance Talks, Board of Trustees President Hannes Swoboda announced on February 13 at a press conference in Vienna. http://www.fresach.org Kuchl & fireside conversations for the first time “Exodus – Excerpt from the Familiar” or “Departure for a New Freedom” is the motto of the Tolerance Talks 2020, which will take place in Villach and Fresach from May 27th to 30th. More than 40 authors, scientists, economists, trend researchers, poets and thinkers, who are expected to come to Carinthia the week before Pentecost, ensure that this year there will again be controversial discussions. The program consists of a youth forum and an international tourism forum in Villach (May 27), the Tolerance Forum with the Citizens’ Dialogue in Fresach (May 28) and the Economic Forum (May 29) as well as “kitchen and fireside chats” for the first time contribute to getting to know experts better. “The discussions in the forum and in the participating houses should give courage and stimulate the hikes to think. We will deal with the question of what Europe can do to help overcome the environmental and social challenges of the future,” said the President of the Board of Trustees of the European Tolerance Talks, Hannes Swoboda, at the program presentation on Thursday evening in the Oberbank Vienna. Together with his colleagues, Swoboda conjured up the power of innovation and the will for positive change and diversity, through which Europe had achieved great things in the past. Opportunity for radical rethinking According to Swoboda, two very big issues will concern politics and society, Europe and its member states in the coming years – climate change and migration. Both contain sufficient explosives for new conflicts, but also incredible opportunities for a radical rethinking of our society based on industry and prosperity. New ideas, concepts and political approaches are required. “We need these for the reshaping of Europe, but also for our relations with those neighbors who are affected by exploitation and war,” said Swoboda. The motive of the European Tolerance Talks 2020 – the exodus – should be understood as an opportunity and a choice, the former member of the European Parliament and leader of the Social Democrats said. “For Israelites, moving out of Egypt was a shake-off of slavery and a start into a new future. That is exactly what we, Europe, and the democratic world have to do, because nothing is worse than staying and frozen in old conventions.” More at pressetext.
