Praise of the Cultural and Educational Policy Conducted by Civil Society–Letter to Herbert Batliner

 Prof. Ferenc Glatz’s essay entitled Europe Institute Budapest, 1990–2013, or the Praise of the Cultural and Educational Policy as Conducted by Civil Society was published in the Festschrift dedicated to Senator Dr. Dr.Herbert Batliner, probably the greatest patron of contemporary times in Europe, on the occasion of his 85^th birthday.
Senator Dr. Dr. Herbert Batliner is also founder of the Europe Institute Budapest and a personal friend of Ferenc Glatz. (This circle of friends includes further the former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, and the former Vice Chancellor of Austria, Dr. Erhard Busek. As Austrian minister for science and research during the years 1989–1990 and also in later times Dr. Erhard Busek was for Prof. Glatz a reliable partner of cooperation and “brother-in-arms” in carrying out several joint European initiatives – supporting and organizing the teaching of Western languages in Hungary following 1989, the launching of cultural projects on European level as well as within Hungary.)
Ferenc Glatz chose the form and the personal tone of a letter to express his thoughts on the founding and the long-time activity of the Europe Institute. His closing words of what he called a “progress report” read: “In 1989–1990 the region found itself in the centre of public attention all over the world, especially since this was the region where between 1989 and 1992 an end was put to the Cold War. The founding of the Institute, the 20 years of its existence, and activity – your [Senator Dr. Dr. Batliner”s] and our joint enthusiasm, the work we dedicated to it day by day – served exactly this end. Thank God, today in history we represent only a “stage of war of marginal importance”. But does this mean that we have to give up altogether the incentives we cherished for building a Europe and for building society? Undoubtedly, though, climate change, Europe’s economic competitiveness in the global setting, the migratory processes constitute the “big questions” of our times. We, the members of the “World War’s”European generation, however, still have something to say to the world!”

The Festschrift was presented to Sen. Dr. Dr. Herbert Batliner at a festivity hosted by the Governor of Salzburg, Dr. Wilfried Haslauer. Former Vice Chancellor Dr. Erhard Busek being also acting President of the Herbert-Batliner-Europainstitut in Salzburg held the speech in honour of Senator Dr. Dr. Batliner. The honorary guest expressed his thanks to those present and to the authors who contributed to the Festschrift calling special attention to the merits of Ferenc Glatz, former minister of Hungary, in promoting the cultural transformation process in Europe. The essays and contributions of the authors of the volume entitled Kultur – Religion – Wissenschaft. Dem Europäer Herbert Batliner zu Ehren – former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, the reigning prince of Liechtenstein Hans Adam II, former Vice Chancellor Dr. Erhard Busek, former Hungarian minister and president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr. Ferenc Glatz, Governor Dr. Wilfried Haslauer, etc. – worthily commemorate the manifold patronage activities of and the scholarship system for young talents promoted by Senator Dr. Dr. Batliner in the fields of science, culture, and arts. (The Batliner Collection From Monet to Picasso has been made available to the wider public and can be visited at the Albertina in Vienna.)