Welcoming Speech by Federal Minister Dr. Claudia Schmied at the Reception of the EHHF on 27th May, 2009

(es gilt das gesprochene Wort)

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to welcome you to Palais Starhemberg today.

This listed residence, dating from 1667, provides an elegant backdrop for diverse encounters with education, the arts and culture – not least, thanks to the excellent work of all the people working in the field of monument protection.

This room – as you can see from the musical instruments in the frescos – used to be a music room.

Today, it serves as an ideal space for receptions such as this one, ceremonies honouring high-ranking personalities and large roundtable discussions.

We often experience that such a creative atmosphere has a positive effect on our spirits and on the tone of events taking place here.

Today, “our Blue Salon” will provide the appropriate environment for another success story for the European Heritage Heads Forum.

This platform creates the appropriate background for introducing new dynamics into the protection of historical monuments and buildings through the network of European representatives and for adapting the pre- and conservation to today’s requirements.

I am particularly proud of the cooperation between Slovakia and Austria in making this conference possible.

Twenty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, this day is also a groundbreaking symbol for the close collaboration between our two countries.

Vienna and Bratislava are the two closest European capitals geographically.

When you take a look from the terrace of Schloss Hof over the former Iron Curtain boarder in the direction of Bratislava tomorrow, you will experience a feeling of connection between historical cultural landscapes and modern residential areas.

One aspect that is highly significant in the preservation and conservation of monuments.

Many guests to our shared region visit us because of our great cultural heritage. Therefore, the protection of cultural heritage is highly important, in the sense of a culture-conservation and culture-generating factor in society.

We must always ensure that cultural monuments remain visible symbols for future generations – thus, playing an important role society’s development.

As Minister of Education, I would like to emphasize the following: just as it is our task to teach our children to listen to music, read poems or solve problems, we also have to rouse their interest in architecture, heritage and archaeology.

And to help them understand the value of our rich and varied and historically precious cultural landscape and its monuments.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are facing great challenges in the preservation and conservation of historical monuments and buildings. In the course of this year’s “European Year of Creativity and Innovation”, I am looking forward to the results of your creative, innovative thinking.

I wish you all the best and great success in the next days.

Geändert am 29.05.2009