Opening ceremony of the Salzburg Festival by Alexander Van der Bellen: "Moral clarity paves the way for responsible actions"
In a powerful address at the opening of the Salzburg Festival, Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen called for a shared, conscious effort across politics, economics, media, and civil society to navigate the profound global crises we face today.
Van der Bellen emphasized the importance of individual and collective responsibility, urging a visionary, responsible mindset that reflects courage and commitment in the face of challenges such as threats to liberal democracy, human rights, and global stability. He underscored that navigating these crises requires accountable action and cooperation at every societal level.
The new federal government's comprehensive state reform, focusing on education, health, and energy, was one such call to action. Van der Bellen emphasized that responsible action requires the ability for inner distance and healthy compromise. He also invited business leaders to consider their impact on others and not just maximize profit, acknowledging that economic freedom relies on social trust, and those who profit must contribute to society.
Van der Bellen's speech also addressed the role of media and civil society in fostering trust, democracy, and peace amid disinformation and political challenges. He highlighted the urgent need for visionary leadership and courageous, ethical decision-making in economic and political spheres.
Artistic freedom, according to Van der Bellen, has a political task in times of democratic value pressure: to make visible what is threatened, object where others remain silent, and question where power is entrenched. He stressed the importance of speaking uncomfortable truths and having moral clarity, even if it may not be popular.
Implementing this reform may not be easy, as everyone involved will have to give something up. However, it is necessary for the benefit of the whole state. Politicians who explain rather than merely maneuver are less likely to lose touch with the population. Responsibility, according to Van der Bellen, begins where power meets people.
In conclusion, Van der Bellen's speech at the Salzburg Festival underscored the need for a shared, conscious effort to uphold democratic values, human rights, and sustainable peace in a fractured world. His call to action emphasizes the importance of individual and collective responsibility across all societal domains.
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- The Austrian Federal President, Alexander Van der Bellen, urged business leaders to consider their impact on others and not just maximize profit, recognizing that economic freedom relies on social trust, and those who profit must contribute to society.
- In his speech, Van der Bellen emphasized that politically responsible action requires the ability for inner distance and healthy compromise, inviting politicians to explain rather than merely maneuver to maintain a connection with the population.
- Van der Bellen called for visionary leadership and courageous, ethical decision-making in economic and political spheres, stating that artistic freedom, particularly in times of democratic value pressure, has a political task: to make visible what is threatened, object where others remain silent, and question where power is entrenched.
