Pan-European meeting places for sustainability

“With the Erasmus Cafés, we are setting an example of tolerance and openness,” explained Teresa Schick to the audience on the ‘Ambition’ stage in exhibition hall 3. The aim of the project, which is supported by ‘Die TUM Campus Heilbronn gGmbH’, is to establish a Europe-wide network of meeting centers where young innovative talents can exchange ideas, because: ”Good ideas are born in cafés.”

The starting signal for the first Erasmus Café was given in the Portuguese cultural metropolis of Braga. There is a cool atmosphere there, says Schick. Further projects are already in the pipeline: “We will also provide support in promising places like Pristina in Kosovo, where the infrastructure is not yet in place.” Further cafés are planned in Austria, Switzerland and Turkey.

The overarching values for the Europe-wide meeting places are the SDG sustainability goals of the United Nations. One of many and very fitting for Germany’s largest automotive trade fair is the topic “Future of Mobility”. The ambassador of the TUM Campus Heilbronn sums it up: “We bring the ideas on the road – from Heilbronn to the world.”

Matthias Braun also emphasizes the importance of sustainability and gives an example: “In Öhringen and Künzelsau, there is an initiative called ‘Every drop counts’, in which cooking oil residues are collected and processed into biofuels.” The Erasmus Cafés also offer space for doers – here, scientific excellence meets civil society relevance, emphasizes Braun. One thing is certain for him: “With the power from Heilbronn and active supporters, we are making progress.”