800 years of Schmerlenbach

The anniversary year "800 years of Schmerlenbach" was duly opened with a keynote speech by former President of the State Parliament Alois Glück. Under the heading "Hospitality as a perspective for the society of tomorrow", the speaker covered a range of topics from biblical-Christian values to concrete problems of social interaction. In his welcoming address, Rector Dr. Berthold Uphoff emphasized that hospitality is always fundamentally a reciprocal event, a sharing and giving at the same time. Glück picked up on this and emphasized that it is not just about welcoming people, but "about listening, accepting and appreciating as a basic attitude of human encounters." In this context, we quickly come up against the question of what holds our society together and what fundamental values shape our behavior. "We need to revive a culture of responsibility for ourselves, for our fellow human beings and for the community," says Glück. Values are the foundation on which the common good can thrive. In turbulent and stormy times, "only deep-rooted people can stand firm".