European Forum Alpbach – Erfahrungen unseres Future-Law Scholars
22. September 2025
Bei Future-Law setzen wir uns dafür ein, junge Jurist:innen zu fördern, die sich aktiv für eine gerechtere und nachhaltigere Welt einsetzen. In diesem Jahr freuen wir uns besonders, Wilson Torres Roman auf seinem Weg zum European Forum Alpbach begleiten zu dürfen.
Mehr über Wilsen, seinen Erfahrungsbericht und warum ihn das European Forum Alpbach inspiriert, welche Themen ihn bewegen – von Klimawandel und Energiewende bis hin zu Strafjustiz und Menschenrechten – erfahren Sie hier:
The European Forum Alpbach – working in partnership is the way forward
This year I was awarded a scholarship to attend the European Forum Alpbach, which had four major tracks: democracy, climate change, finance and security. Before applying, one of the questions I asked myself was how relevant someone from Latin America could be in a forum focused on recharging Europe. Despite that question, I quickly realized that most of the topics had a regional or global dimension. Shortly after the first day, the answer was clear: Europe and all continents need to work in equal partnership to build a more democratic, sustainable and safe society.
Reading the story behind the forum, you arrive with expectations but also with uncertainty, not really knowing what will happen until you meet the rest of the scholars. Everyone comes from different backgrounds with the aim to learn and innovate, but also to listen and give constructive feedback. Soon after my arrival, I started calling Alpbach the place where action and utopia come together.
The first week of seminars is key to understanding topics like security, AI, climate change, energy transition, and also to developing soft skills in creative writing, futuristic thinking, life in the army or managing a healthy financial life. Having first-hand lectures on climate change, finance, energy transition and democracy was essential for the following days. Alpbach also offers a safe space for conversations, like the Food for Thought sessions over lunchtime. One of the best ones for me was about criminal justice and juveniles.
In the following days, the fireside chats— small group discussions with speakers — became one of my favourite parts of the forum. From having the opportunity to talk with the President of Signal, to the former Greenpeace International Director, to the UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, these sessions gave unique insights into their roles and how they see climate, justice and technology moving forward, with possible pathways to democratize them.
My second favourite part were the hikes, where we discussed current challenges like business and human rights or climate mobility. You’re walking in the Alps while the person next to you shares a new perspective or question, and then after 20 minutes there’s a short stop to hear directly from someone working in that area. I wish more educational spaces mixed physical activity with the exchange of ideas, because in nature it feels easier to see different perspectives and imagine other solutions.
Without a doubt, my two weeks in Alpbach gave me a unique experience on issues we need to act on right now—from tackling climate change, to seeking justice for victims of organized criminal structures, to realizing how essential democracy is for everyone. Above all, I came away convinced that through democracy, Latin America can work as a partner with Europe, whether in building innovative green solutions or fighting organized crime.
„If you get the chance, go to Alpbach—a place that truly drives ideas.“
Wilson Torres Roman
Mehr zum European Forum Altbach: https://www.alpbach.org/de/efa25
Zu unserem Partner LexisNexis: https://www.lexisnexis.at/
