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Talk: Prof. Wolfgang Schürer, Chairman of the Board of the Nobel Laureate Meetings

October 12, 2011

"The young researchers here are among the best of their generation worldwide. We hope they will contribute to solving the problems of global health."

https://p.dw.com/p/RqWD

DW-TV: Professor Schürer, this time you set a topic, global health, but I thought Lindau Meeting was more about direct communication, about open communication, unstructured in a way. How does that go together?

Wolfgang Schürer: I think that something is changing. The affinity, or if you wish, the cooperation, between the Year of Science of the Federal Republic, and their topical choices and our topical choices. And as this year is medicine and physiology

as the disciplinary focus of the Lindau meetings, many of the laureates considered we should try a little bit of uniformity.

And what kind of stimulus are you actually hoping for in the topic of global health?

We hope that many of the young researchers, which are among the best of their generation worldwide, will make their choices and will shift a little bit this or that focal topic, and engage and contribute to solving and address some of the problems. And I think the more choose to address these issues, the higher the chances of solving one or two.

Bill Gates actually has become an honorary member of the board too. What's his role?

We wanted first of all to recognize and honor his role as innovative entrepreneur, because in the dissemination of knowledge, his professional commitment has contributed as much as the Gutenberg revolution with the print of the book. Number two, he has involved into an entrepreneur of philanthropy and into a very, very dedicated supporter of education.

So he's brought in renown and image but not money?

No. We have not asked him for money. Money is not the sole currency and clearly not the dominant currency of this meeting here. Passion, perseverance on education is what unites us, and we do not want to become a company. The Lindau Meeting has its distinct history and its distinct mission for the future. We do not become people who fool themselves. We do need financial support. But we keep these two issues separate.

Good luck for the future. Thank you for the talk.

(Interview: Ingolf Baur)