Edward Snowden live at MCI: “Surveillance concerns everyone.”

An unprecedented and extremely moving live event took place only a few days ago at Management Center Innsbruck (MCI): 1,500 guests of the Entrepreneurial School® were granted the opportunity to meet and speak with whistleblower Edward Snowden. Snowden was broadcast from his Moscow exile to a large screen in Innsbruck, creating an atmosphere of enormous density, intensity, and personal interaction.

Surveillance is everyone’s business, even if you feel you do not have anything to hide. It is about respecting everyone’s privacy and personal freedom; about the right to make mistakes that will not be held against you 20 years later; and about the possibility of communicating whenever, with whomever, and about whatever you want, without – unknowingly – landing yourself in problematic situations. The ardent American, who informed the world about illegal surveillance practices five years ago and thus triggered a global political earthquake, emphasized that everyone could make a difference and affect change.

The event was only made possible due to MCI’s sterling international reputation and outstanding global network. The audience contributed to the event with many questions and comprehensive input for discussion, listened to Edward Snowden’s thought-provoking and moving talk with tears in their eyes, and thanked him with unending standing ovations. In addition to the guests in the Dogana hall in Innsbruck, up to 16,000 users followed the live stream on the Internet.

The event, which was excellently organized in cooperation with the Tiroler Tageszeitung daily paper and the Austria Press Agency (APA), was moderated by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann. He was assisted by Snowden’s lawyer Robert Tibbo, who continues to fight for the rights of the refugees in Hong Kong who helped Edward Snowden to flee from the life-threatening consequences he feared from several intelligence agencies, five years ago.

For these families, who have been under massive political and economic pressure in Hong Kong ever since, MCI is now asking for active support for the donation campaign announced during the event. “This is not about the omnipresent political issue of refugees and migration, but about supporting courage, commitment, and responsibility to preserve our freedom and privacy. The appeal for donations has so far yielded 6,200 euros. Please help us to reach our goal of 10,000 euros, so that the threatened families can be provided for, at least until Christmas,” is the urgent appeal of the Entrepreneurial School®. 

Donations account:

MCI Management Center Innsbruck, IBAN: AT24 3600 0000 0080 2017, BIC: RZTIAT22, reference: ‘Snowden Guardian Angels 2018’. THANK YOU.