Tag: Alexander Van der Bellen

Ocean & Passion Society & Diplomacy

Presidential reception for Expedition Antarctic Blanc reaches more than 1.5 million people

Jochen Werne February 6, 2019

The two largest Austrian newspapers “Kronenzeitung” and “Heute” reported on the official visit of a delegation of Expedition Antarctic Blanc to the Hofburg. Together, the publications have a circulation of more than 1.5 million copies per day.

We are grateful to President Alexander Van der Bellen for the invitation, the President’s Press Corps and the press for the publications that support the goal of raising awareness of such important issues as the UNEP Clean Seas Initiative, the fight against microplastics in our oceans, the importance of Antarctica for our ecosystem and the importance of international cooperation and understanding.

Austria has a long standing tradition in Polar Research leading to the Austrian Polar Research Institute, who’s coordinating today the country’s activities in the Arctic and Antarctica

The delegation consisted of

Jochen Werne (Expedition Leader); Andris Adam (Chief Liason Officer to Austria and Hungary); Götz Credé (Chief Liaison Officer to Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands); Dr. Wolfgang Händel (Chief Logistics Officer); Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter (Founding Director of the Austrian Polar Research Institutes); Christin Latk (Expedition Support Team – Akademie der Führungskräfte)

Society & Diplomacy

“Your adventures serve important purposes.”

Jochen Werne January 27, 2019

This quote by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has been chosen by the Hofburg‘s prestigious press corps to introduce the article about the reception for Expedition Antarctic Blanc on the President‘s website.

The GOST delegation consisting of six members handed over with pride in Vienna’s Hofburg the Antarctic Blanc expedition flag to the President Van der Bellen on January 22, 2019.

The ceremony took 30 minutes and the President received an expedition report, watched the official video, signed the flag and had in-depth discussions with the delegates.

The president who himself is greatly engaged in environmental topics and climate discussions worldwide has listened carefully how a private initiative as the Global Offshore Sailing Team (GOST) has been able to connect nations, politicians, scientists and the civil society to enter deeper into discussions about  important historical, environmental and societal topics. With its expeditions GOST hereby became an ambassador for international understanding.

President Van der Bellen also took note that Austria’s ratification of the Environmental Protocol is still missing and is now in contact with the Founding Director of the Austrian Polar Research Institute Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter to examine the topic.

The delegation consisted of Jochen Werne (Expedition Leader);Andris Adam (Chief Liason Officer to Austria and Hungary);Götz Credé (Chief Liaison Officer to Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands);Dr. Wolfgang Händel (Chief Logistics Officer);Prof. Dr. Andreas Richter (Founding Director of the Austrian Polar Research Institutes)Christin Latk (Expedition Support Team – Akademie der Führungskräfte)

Pictures: Lechner/HBF