Opening of the Conference



Wednesday, 10. October 2007 | 10:30 Uhr

Speaker

Klaus Hug

Organisation

President of the Foundation

Reporting

In his welcoming speech at the beginning of the conference, Klaus Hug, president of the Academia Engelberg Foundation, pointed out different associations with the term ‘water’, from blue gold to its unpredictable force. While Switzerland is referred to as a water castle, two out of three people will suffer water shortage by the year 2025, according to the UN. Who should be responsible for the water supply is the topic of this year’s conference. Shall we able to say at the end of the conference, just as Xenophon did: “Thalatta, thalatta, the sea, the sea.”

For Abbot Berchtold Müller, water is a fascinating and, at the same time, calming issue that has many aspects: abundance, scarcity, drought, salination. It is often scarce, but everlasting and renewable. From Buddhism to Christianity, water stands for purification, resuscitation and renewal.

Download Speech of Abbot Berchtold Müller

Klaus Hug

Klaus Hug was born in 1940. After receiving his undergraduate and doctoral degrees at the department of law in Zurich in 1970, he was granted the right to practise law in 1971. Between 1972 and 1976 (and also 1980 and 1984) he was Secretary of the Central Swiss Association of Employers in Zurich. Between 1976 and 1979 he was personal secretary to MP Kurt Furgler, and from 1984 to 1991 he was Director of the Department of Industry, Trade and Employment (BIGA).

Since summer 1991 has worked as a lawyer and economic consultant in Berne and Zurich. As of 1992 he is the Executive President of the Swiss Association for Department Stores, known today as the Swiss Retail Federation; diverse government commissions; a member of the Federal Commission for Competition; consultant to the legal practice of Bär & Karrer in Zurich.

Since 1992, he has held the office of President of the Swiss Technology Assessment Committee (for the Swiss Department of Science and Technology). Klaus Hug is also President of the governing board of the Institute of Intellectual Ownership (IGE) in Berne.

Donators and Partners

The ETH Board is responsible for the strategic leadership of the ETH domain and assumes the supervision of its institutions. Its close relationship with the ETH Council has contributed to the successful continuation of Academia Engelberg Foundation since 2000.

The Foundation promotes research into the connecting human fundamentals of science. Academia Engelberg Foundation and the Foundation for Basic Research in Human Sciences have entered into a cooperation agreement for the period 2011 to 2015.

Helvetia is a quality-oriented comprehensive insurance company with over 150 years of experience. Academia Engelberg Foundation is convinced it will be able to use important synergies from the partnership starting in 2015.

A partnership with the University of Lucerne has existed since summer 2013. Since 2016 we have also a parthership with the Faculty of Economics and Management of the University of Lucerne. Through these partnerships, synergies are used and joint projects are tested and realized. The University of Lucerne currently consists of three faculties: the faculties for Theology, Culture and Social Sciences, and Law.