Dear members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts,
Happy Easter greetings from St. Peter in Salzburg, the location of our Academy in this old and wonderful city. In this week, there is a beautiful spring time in Salzburg. In nature, spring means the resurrection of life after winter time which relates to the Christian belief of Easter as overcoming of death. Thus, Easter is a festival of hope. And hope is badly needed for all of us after more than one year of Corona. In spite of vaccines, no end seems to be in sight. With respect to ever changing mutants, some experts even predict that, in the future, we have to learn how to live with the viral evolution.
Corona is not only a challenge of medicine, health system, and economic welfare, but it damages our cultural life and psychic sensitivities. Therefore, it concerns the spirit of our Academy of Science and Arts, basically. At the last meeting of the Senate of our Academy, the deans of several classes made suggestions of interdisciplinary workshops to consider the challenges of Corona from the point of view of humanities, societal impact, and medicine. They will ask you to join these workshops and engage in the future.
You will also be interested in the following news of the academic organisation:
Pursuant to § 14 (7) by.laws, the deans of our Academy were elected at the 1st meeting of the Senate on 26th March 2021:
At that meeting of the Senate, the former meritorious treasurer of the Academy, Karl Count of Salm, was elected as treasurer, again. As successor of the former meritorious secretary of the Academy, Prof. Dr. Dr. Maria Eder, the Presidium nominated and the Senate elected Prof. Dr. Kristin De Troyer. She is full professor of theology (Old Testament) at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, born in Belgium, with a great international experience and academic network in Europe.
According to § 5 by.laws, the Senate may award the title of a honorary president. Last time, the title was awarded to Nikolaus Prince Lobkowicz who died in 2019. Together with Cardinal König and Prince Lobkowicz, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Felix Unger founded the Academy more than thirty years ago. Since 1990, he was President of the Academy. With respect to his merits, the Senate awarded Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Felix Unger the title of a Honorary President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.
The Senate also elected the following delegates of countries:
These delegates sent their applications to the Presidium, following a presidential call. Delegates are involved in the nomination procedure for new members of the Academy. Therefore, other countries are asked to send their applications of delegates to the presidium, too.
A new data base for the nomination procedure of new members has been under construction by the new staff in Salzburg and will be finished soon. It will facilitate the administration in the future. At the next meeting of the Senate in May, the appointments of the member candidates who were nominated in the past can be realized with the new data base.
As mentioned before, the deans will ask you to engage in several projects with respect to your expertise, not only Corona, but the whole scope of our Academy. Nevertheless, feel free to suggest workshops and events in collaboration with our Academy, especially those in collaboration with European institutions and organization. But, please, don’t forget how to finance them. For coming events of the Academy, please, see the Homepage of the Academy. In the end, all our activities should aim at sharpening our profile as European Academy of Sciences and Arts.
I look forward to meet you online or, hopefully, with physical presence in a soon future.
With kind regards,
President
Erhard Busek (Honorary Senator): 80th birthday, 25.03.1941
Momir Polenaković (Class II) 06.03.2021
Karl Bornschein (Honorary Senator) 19.03.2021
REQUIESCANT IN PACE
29, March, 2021