European Forum Alpbach: Reflections

Audacia had the opportunity to attend the Forum after being awarded a scholarship by the Initiativgruppe Alpbach Wien (IG Wien)and shares her reflections on her experiences at the event.

This year, the Academy Days introduced Studios, a new pilot alternative to the traditional seminar format. The two Studios were “Envisioning Europe’s Future Cities” and “Perspectives on European Memory: Objects, Stories and Shared Futures.” Although completely different in their approaches, both encouraged us to think about how individuals can contribute to society and become part of broader processes of social change.

The Academy Days also offered opportunities to learn outside the Studios. During lunch, scholarship holders organised Food for Thought sessions covering a diverse range of topics. One session I attended focused on Africa’s Depletion Ledger, which I found particularly interesting as an Angolan. The discussion introduced me to different dimensions of debt faced by African countries, including their relationships with institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, and the challenges surrounding repayment.

During the Conference Week, the Forum became even more vibrant, with numerous panels, talks and hikes exploring topics ranging from artificial intelligence and security to the economy and Europe’s (hopefully sustainable) future.

One of the highlights of my Forum experience was having the privilege of moderating a fireside chat with Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Austria’s Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research, hosted by IG Wien. Our conversation covered a range of urgent topics, including the reassignment of responsibility for Austria’s universities to the Ministry of Women, Science and Research the university budget negotiations and the importance of retaining and supporting women in science.

I also had the opportunity to attend a Women* Networking Hour featuring Maria Kalesnikava, Belarusian political activist; Michaela Fritz, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation at the Medical University of Vienna; and Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum.

The Forum concluded with a call to action in the form of a manifesto, outlining a vision for Europe by 2035 across four key areas: security, finance, climate and democracy. I was particularly glad to see climate, ecological sustainability, and democratic social inclusivity remain top priorities.

In brief, the European Forum Alpbach was a truly enriching experience, and I would need much more than a single news article to fully capture all the opportunities I encountered, the conversations I had and the people I met along the way.