Academy for Dialogue and Evangelisation in the Figlhaus

Special courses, dialog workshops and events for the promotion of a Christian-inspired, free exchange on fundamental questions about society, politics and faith

Initiators
Dialogue project-groups and the team of the “Akademie für Dialog und Evangelisation” (the Academy for Dialogue and Evangelism), the latter an institution of the Catholic Emmanuel Community in the Archdiocese of Vienna.

Occasion
In the year 2000, starting with a series of “coffeehouse talks about God and the world” in coffeehouses in Vienna, young students initiated a new and sympathetic dialogue beyond the boundaries of society and worldviews. In legendary coffeehouses such as Café Hawelka or Landtmann but also at universities or in parliament, personalities such as Cardinal Schönborn, Alexander Van der Bellen, Presidents of the Islamic Faith Community Fuat Sanaç and Ümit Vural engaged in the discussion with young adults, accompanied by a high degree of media attention.

In recent years, the Academy in the Figlhaus has developed into a popular point of attraction for a free exchange about fundamental questions of society, politics and faith. Meanwhile, there are already several thousands, especially young people, who were willing to learn to communicate their own and other people's messages in an intensive process of dialogue. The Academy cooperates with CIFE (Centre International de Formation Européenne).

The Figlhaus hosts a dormitory for students of Vienna´s universities, colleges and trainees.

Target Groups
The dialogue is directed at students and professionals from different personal, religious and political backgrounds.

Every year, about 3,000 people participate in more than 40 training courses, seminars and individual events at the Academy for Dialogue and Evangelism. Of these, more than 1,000 contribute to dialogue projects and workshops.

Objectives
The Academy encourages a new and free dialogue between people with very different personal, religious and political backgrounds. It strives to enable a new perception of society and an unbiased view of religion. It aims at contributing to a more prejudice-free and solidary world by means of a transparent and respectful exchange. It wants to create awareness for the diversity of cultures and religions and offers a platform where people with different world views can develop ideas and implement projects together. In these processes, the Academy, as host, brings its Christian sources of inspiration into the discourse in a dialogical way.

Topics
The initiative states three main subject areas:

  • Europe & Politics
  • Mission & Dialogue
  • Media & Culture

Duration
for an unlimited period of time

Activities
Annual courses, seminars and trainings include:

  • EU-training course – “Neuer Schwung für Europa“, in cooperation with CIFE (Center for European Studies, Nizza/Berlin)
  • Political seminar “Politisch.Neu.Denken“
  • Media-course – “Inspiration, Werte & Interkulturalität”
  • “Mission Possible” – courses, management trainings, conferences and seminars on dialogue and evangelism.

In addition to the courses and training programs, more than 100 young adults volunteer in work groups or workshops for social hot spots in the diversity of dialogues about God and the world.

  • TALKs – Talks about God & the World (Gespräche über Gott & die Welt): 3-4 panels per year, conceptualized and organized by students of the TALK-team
  • #inspireme media project
  • Spiritual evening events: the weekly “donnerstagabend” (“thursdaynight”)
  • Initiative and seminar “Politisch.Neu.Denken“ (political.new.thinking)
  • Dialogue with the university mosque
  • Coaching for dialogues on belief for parishes and dioceses
  • Traineeships and alternative service (in lieu of military service)
  • Events on the subject “discourse on faith”

Form of Organization
The Academy is an institution of the International Community Emmanuel, an association of the faithful with legal personality under Papal Law and equivalent to a public corporation in Austria (according to Article XV § 7 of the Concordat, Federal Law Gazette II No. 2/193).

Funding
The initiative is mostly funded by donations and sponsors. These include individual donations and endowments, contributions by the Catholic Community Emmanuel in the Archdiocese of Vienna, the Bishops´ Conference, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as income from events, course fees and the mission program. For details please refer to the Annual Report.

Products

Website | Social Media | Contact
https://akademie-wien.at/
https://www.cife.eu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Figlhaus
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Figlhaus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figlhaus/ 

Akademie für Dialog und Evangelisation im Figlhaus Wien
Schenkenstraße 2
A-1010 Wien

T: +43 1 532 5632 0
E-mail: office@akademie-wien.at 

 

editor: jl / update: bs 2022