Europa Nostra participates in the panel hike “How to Leverage Europe’s Strengths” at the European Forum Alpbach 2026, Austria

Europa Nostra’s Secretary General Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović participated in the European Forum Alpbach 2026 held in the Tyrolean village of Alpbach, Austria, under the theme “How Europe Wins”. On 2 September, she took part in the panel “Hike | A Bunch of (Hidden) Champions – How to Leverage Europe’s Strengths”, together with Sandra Navidi, CEO of Beyond Global, and Arnold Kammel, Secretary General of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV). The discussion was moderated by Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Executive Vice-President of Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Europe is home to global market leaders, world-class research, the rule of law and human rights – set against a rich backdrop of intellectual history, philosophy, culture, heritage and art. The panelist explored how these assets can be harnessed to strengthen European resilience and security in the face of geopolitical upheaval.

Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović highlighted how the rule of law, democracy and human rights can be understood as endangered forms of intangible cultural heritage, and stressed the importance of defending these fundamental European values.

She also spoke about the role of cultural heritage in connecting communities, strengthening European identity and passing knowledge and values to future generations.

Europa Nostra’s Secretary General further emphasised the importance of a strong civil society presence in Europe, and championed In Varietate Concordia — Unity in Diversity — recognising Europe’s diversity and shared heritage as complementary strengths. 

The European Forum Alpbach is a space and place for the emergence of reflection and action. It brings together young people from Europe and from all over the world with the most innovative minds from politics, business, civil society, culture, and science to drive ideas for a strong and democratic Europe. With this diverse, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary community, the Forum influences key actors throughout the European continent to facilitate their learning and decisions.