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• Over 2,000 events all over Europe, but with the main focus in Germany, will
illuminate 500 years of Reformation history as well as offering a stage for
discussions exploring future aspects
• Volkswagen will itself be taking part in various dialogue forums
The Volkswagen Group as the official partner of the Reformation anniversary will assist in realizing a programme of events throughout Europe exploring the history and the future of the Protestant Reformation.
Over the period of one year, from October 31, 2016 through October 31, 2017, and in the course of more than 2,000 diverse events, people from all walks of life will convey and discuss the fundamental concepts guiding the Reformation as well as offering an outlook into the future of this momentous transformation. A truck will also be travelling on the so-called “Stationenweg” – a Way of the Cross encompassing 67 European places that have played a significant role in the development and spread of the Reformation.
In the frame of the partnership, Volkswagen will be providing the Reformation anniversary with a fleet of 254 shuttle vehicles for the organizers for the duration of the anniversary. Volkswagen’s key focus of support, however, will be the programme for the festive weekend from 27 through 28 Mai, 2017, in Wittenberg, as the religious highlight of the Reformation anniversary. Of equal importance is the business symposium of the WCGE – Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics – on June 30, 2017, centred around the topic “Business as an influential force in social renewal”.
Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, with responsibility for ‘Integrity and Legal Affairs’, notes: “500 years ago, the Reformation was both a forum and a catalyst for a profound historical transformation. Today, too, we are experiencing radical technological and social change that calls much into question and is also unsettling for many. In times like these it is always best to talk to each other, rather than about one another. As partner of the Reformation anniversary Volkswagen is proud to contribute to this social discourse and will also proactively engage in the dialog on the
role of businesses and companies in the community.”
The programme for the Reformation anniversary aims beyond German borders, appealing to an international public by emphasizing a crucial debate about those values in our society, which should shape present and future forms of living together. Supporting the Reformation anniversary is an expression of Volkswagen’s sustained commitment to society and another facet in its ongoing effort to assist institutions and initiatives dedicated to a public platform for ethical discourse.