Letter from the presidents

Honourable Delegates, Venerable Committee Chairs and Student Media Officers,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 17^th national session of the Model European Parliament in Austria.

 For the third time, the session will take place in Wels and Linz, two beautiful cities located in the federal province of Upper Austria. For centuries, this province has not only been the heart of Austria´s industrial region but also the home to global players such as VOEST Alpine.

Upper Austria is known for its forward thinking, open minded and creative people who deliver extraordinary work in technological innovation. It is therefore no surprise that one of the three Silicon Valley Austria centres is in Linz. However, what truly makes Upper Austria unique is not its advanced industries but its rich history, its famous culture and the exquisite cuisine. What do the Glöcklerlauf, Knödel and the composer Anton Bruckner all have in common? They call Upper Austria their home. Furthermore, museums such as the “Ars Electronica” and “Lentos” contribute to Upper Austria´s cultural heritage. Already the famous artist Gustav Klimt fell in love with Upper Austria´s extraordinary landscapes. Creating some of his most iconic art pieces, he spent his summers in the picturesque Upper Austrian Lake District at the Attersee and in Linz. It maybe is no surprise that Linz was named the European capital of culture in 2009.

During this MEP session, you have the privilege to experience true Upper Austrian lifestyle. You will be welcomed by local host families in Wels and will take part in Committee Meetings at the WRG ORG der Franziskanerinnen Wels. Furthermore, the Opening Ceremony will take place at the historic town hall in Wels, an input morning will be held at our sci-tech museum WELIOS, and for the General Assembly we have the great honour of holding the plenary at the Upper Austrian Landtag in Linz.

Most importantly however, you will get to know dedicated, intelligent and hard-working delegates from all over the country. We are also delighted to also welcome a delegation from Germany for the first time. We have all come together to address political issues Austria and the EU are facing at the moment. The main focus of the session lies on digitisation and its impact on our now and the future. We have grown up with technology embedded in every aspect of our lives. It is up to us, to our generation, to use it wisely and thus achieve advances within the education system, the world of work and society. We not only have to keep up with the evolving process of digitisation, but think ahead.

Therefore, do not be afraid to raise your voice! We encourage you to engage in fruitful debates, to be open to new ideas and to aim to learn as much as possible from each other. In order to get the most out of this session, we kindly as you to conduct thorough research in advance. This is your chance to get involved and to make a change. Austria and the EU needs you - an interested, engaged and active future generation with the willingness to do whatever it takes to ensure cooperation both with the member states and the rest of the world. Although it is important that you take your role seriously, do not forget to enjoy your time as much as possible. A series of events, such as team building or our famous “Cultural Evening” will allow you to make great friends for life.

We are very much looking forward to meeting all of you in January!

Your Presidents,

Jasmin Weber – WRG der Franziskanerinnen Wels

Cecilia Hoyos – Theresianische Akademie Wien

Johannes Lummerstorfer – Theresianische Akademie Wien

Alexander Pichler – Theresianische Akademie Wien