ABS News June 2025

Editorial: Give Peace a Chance
Presidential Message: Travel as an Experience
A Great ABS May 2025
ABS Plans For June 2025
Save The Date: Biennial General Meeting 2025
ABS Policy Papers and ABS Blogs
The Last Page

Dear Members and Friends of the ABS,

‘Give Peace a Chance’ was written in 1969 amid a turbulent period of social change and worldwide protests against the Vietnam War. John Lennon wrote the song during his honeymoon with Yoko Ono and it quickly became the anthem of the peace movement – a simple but powerful call that has lost none of its significance to this day.

Our ABS member Paul Harris made me aware of a stunning fact:

The couple invited the world's press into their hotel room at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel every day where they were just sitting in bed, wearing pyjamas - in Lennon's words "like angels" - talking about peace. After seven days, they flew to Vienna, where they held a bagism press conference at the Hotel Sacher - a video of it is accessible here.

The question I recently discussed with Paul Harris is one that I would like to pass on to you: Are we all giving peace a real chance? Or have we simply stopped believing in it? Are we capable of creating peace – within ourselves and among ourselves – so that there can be peace in the world?

I am grateful to Paul Harris for his input, because we all run the risk of becoming accustomed to the images and videos from Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and other crisis regions around the world – of no longer finding them shocking. That must never happen, just as we must never forget that we do not always succeed in bringing peace. So let's give peace a chance – and work on that chance every day!

Warm regards,

Yours Jochen Ressel,

ABS Secretary General & ABS News Editor-in-Chief

PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

Travel as an Experience

For all those interested in statistics but not keen to count all our events listed on the website themselves, I’ve prepared a brief overview. As of the end of April 2025, and since we began in September 2010, ABS has organised exactly 439 of its own events. A further 4 took place in May, another 4 are already scheduled for June, and on 22 July we’ll round off the first half of the year with the Prince George Birthday Party. That brings us to a total of 448 events, before a further 10 to 12 take place in the autumn – most of which are already firmly scheduled.

At the end of May, 19 members will be taking part in a four-day trip to Cornwall. And that brings me to my main topic – travel. Over the past years, we’ve completed more than 20 international journeys. In October 2025, we’ll be visiting both traditional and modern Saudi Arabia, and thanks to the number of confirmed bookings, this trip is definitely going ahead. A few last-minute places are still available for those quick to decide.

Looking ahead to 2026, I can give you a brief preview of our plans. In the spring, we’ll return to the UK – this time heading towards Manchester and Liverpool. Visits to the headquarters of Bentley and Jaguar, a Premier League match, and a tribute to the Beatles’ legendary club are on the agenda. In the autumn, we’ll head to Botswana, with highlights including the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls.

As a lifelong travel enthusiast, I continue to relish the variety and uniqueness of foreign countries. A new city, a foreign language, unfamiliar atmospheres, strange scents and sounds – all of these stimulate our minds and help keep both brain and body fit. Immersing ourselves in multicultural experiences boosts our creativity and problem-solving abilities. The sound of the sea in Thailand, the aroma of exotic spices in a Dubai market, a sunset on the beach in Costa Rica, conversations with poor farmers deep in the Ugandan jungle, or an encounter with a proud Tuareg in the endless emptiness of the Sahara – such moments create lasting impressions. Travel brings with it immense joy: first the anticipation, then the impact of the moment, and finally the happiness of cherished memories.

So I can only encourage you to travel – ideally with ABS and like-minded companions – to share the joy and the experience together.

Best wishes,

Prof KR Dr Kurt Tiroch
ABS President

A GREAT ABS MAY 2025

Three Times Premium Quality

May 5, 2025

- "From the river to the sea: What wants HAMAS?"
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gudrun Krämer
- CLICK HERE for the event report and photos.

May 14, 2025

- "Russland nach 25 Jahren Putin: Rückblick und Ausblick"
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Mueller
- CLICK HERE for the event report and many photos.

May 22, 2025

- "Bentley – Britische Automobilkunst seit 1919"
- Mag. Antonia Stubenberg, Geschäftsführerin von Bentley Wien, und Michael Bentwood, ehemaliger britischer Profirennfahrer
- CLICK HERE for the event report and many photos.

ABS PLANS FOR JUNE 2025

It's Going To Be a Busy June

With an incredible five events making June one of the strongest ABS months ever. Most of the invitations have already been sent out, so as always, register quickly!

Travel to Cornwall

Booked out!
May 30 - June 2, 2025
Follow our travel experience on our Facebook and Insta accounts!

Carriage Pícnic

Schlosspark Ebreichsdorf
June 14, 2025
Invitation already in your inbox!

Europäische und österreichische Sicherheitslage

Hon.-Prof. (FH) Mag. Dr. Arnold Kammel, MA
June 16, 2025
Diplom. Akademie
Invitation in your inbox already!

ABS British Car Excursion

From Vienna to Plankenberg, Kernhof and Mariazell
June 21, 2025
Invitation in your inbox already!

ABS Heuriger

Get-together at Heurigen Wolff, Neustift
June 26, 2025
Invitation to follow

Sept. 9, 2025: Pencil It In Your Calendar!

The Biennial General Meeting of the Austro-British Society will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Beside the interesting summaries of activities and financial reports, an additional highly interesing program is in the planning process!

Calendar Entry Save The Date

ABS POLICY PAPERS & BLOGS

Food For Brain

And in May 2025, our honourable society has once again published high-quality information that is truly worth reading.

ABS POLICY PAPER

"Geopolitical Shifts in the 21st Century" by Werner Fasslabend, former Minister of Defense, summarised by former Ambassador and ABS Vice President Alexander Christiani
CLICK HERE