The foundation of an Academy for Animal-Human Relations in Graz has proved to be highly desirable, as it has become crucial in European and global thinking to base these on both new scientific and ethical principles.
Recent revolutionary discoveries with regard to the central characteristics of living things - especially in comparative analyses of animals and humans - point clearly to the fact that it is high time for us to be able to more adequately represent the "animal world" and the "human world" in a holistic ecological model. Thanks to the digital age, we now have greater opportunities to educate and disseminate knowledge and thereby further a responsible approach. In keeping with the current trend towards globalisation, we must be able to develop new frameworks for the relationship between animals and humans. The work of the ATMB will therefore be characterised to a high degree by an inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary outlook.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ursula Grohs and Reinhield Wallner for their wonderful collaboration on the finalisation of this concept.