Czechia, Slovakia & Austria
CROSS-
BORDER
DIALOGUE
3-Day Conference
General assembly
We’re happy to announce the next step: the founding of the Cross-Border Dialogue Association, with its General Assembly set for June 20.
The General Assembly is a chance for all interested in Cross-Border Dialogue to contribute their vision to the next year's conference, as well as find ways how CBD can become a bigger platform not only for thinking and collaboration, but also for civic engagement and project implementation!
WHEN
June 20th, 2025WHERE
Start-up house in Vienna or onlineFOR WHOMFor past or future participants, team members, Club Alpbach members and everyone interested in Cross-Border Dialogue Association
Sign up to attend our general assembly!
Cross-border dialogue 2026
LOCATION:
Mikulov, Southern Moravia, Czechia
Date (tbd):
23.4 - 25. April 2026
Interested? Become our partner!We are open to partner with companies, who share our values and want to support us on different organization tracks:
Challenges
Funding
Media coverage
Additional support
Find out how to contact us
in the Contact section below
CBD Mission
In the dynamic changes shaping Europe today, how can the three neighbours Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia face exciting challenges and unique opportunities to deepen their collaboration?
The Cross-Border Dialogue (CBD) is an initiative that brings together Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia to tackle shared challenge, explore opportunities for stronger collaboration and strengthen European values. Hosted by Club Alpbach Lower Austria and Club Alpbach Czechia & Slovakia, this event is all about exchanging ideas and finding innovative solutions to real-world issues affecting the region.
The heart of the CBD is a hands-on design-thinking hackathon, where students, young professionals, local entrepreneurs, and community representatives team up to solve challenges provided by real-world partners. By working together across borders and disciplines, participants aim to create solutions that leave a lasting impact.
This event is part of the prestigious “Dialog.Format” series and aligns with the European Forum Alpbach’s mission of fostering cooperation, cultural exchange, and meaningful action.
About us
Cross-Border Dialogue (CBD) is a trilateral initiative uniting Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia to address shared regional challenges, foster cross-border collaboration, and advance European values. Co-organized by Club Alpbach Lower Austria and Club Alpbach Czechia & Slovakia, CBD serves as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and co-creation of innovative, actionable solutions to pressing issues in the region.By combining grassroots expertise with cross-border perspectives, CBD empowers participants to drive tangible progress while strengthening regional networks and shared European ideals.
Key Components of the CBD:
Collaborative Framework: Engages participants from diverse sectors and nationalities to bridge borders and disciplines.
Design-Thinking Hackathon: A hands-on core event where students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, and community representatives collaborate intensively to solve challenges posed by real-world partners.
Impact-Driven Outcomes: Focuses on generating scalable, sustainable solutions with long-term benefits for the region.
Target Audience
We bring together a diverse group of people across different age groups and professions to foster understanding & create collaboration to the pressing problems of our regions
Community representatives from all generations
Young Professionals
Local Entrepreneurs
Students
You!
About Club alpbach
The Cross-Border Dialogue is a conference organized by Club Alpbach Lower Austria and Club Alpbach Czechia & Slovakia.
The European Forum Alpbach is a yearly European conference on topics such as security, democracy, climate & economy in Europe. The Forum Alpbach Network consists of several regional clubs like the club alpbach Lower Austria and the club alpbach Czechia & Slovakia. Those are collaborating to make
Cross-Border Dialogue happen.
CBD 2025 in Hainburg an der Donau
CBD 2025 IN NUMBERS
3
days6
challenges60
participants
>100000
people reached on social media34
efa clubs reached130
opening ceremony guests
Cross-Border Dialogue 2025 took place in Hainburg an der Donau in Austria from the 30th of April until the 2nd of May. These three days blended formal discussions, workshops, and networking to drive cross-border innovation.Day 1 opened with an Opening Ceremony, which included a political panel and a scholarship award, attended by regional governors, EU reps, and academics. Evening continued with a shared dinner, providing space for networking and connection.Days 2 and 3 focused on hackathon-style design-thinking sessions. Students, entrepreneurs, and community leaders iterated solutions during structured breaks, meals, and creative activities. The final day featured a "World Café" and "Idea Fair" for teams to refine and pitch actionable solutions.
Political panel
To welcome and open the Cross-Border Dialogue,
we invited high-level speakers to inspire the participants and our guests.on the panel discussion titled "strong europe begins with connected regions" spoke:
Lukas Mandl, member of the european parliament representing Governor Johanna Mikl-LeitnerPetra Korlaar, vice-mayor of mikulovJan Grolich, governor of the South Moravian RegionMichaela Fritz, Co-Chair of the Scientific Advisory board at EFA
Moderated by Philipp Kamaryt, the panel united diverse perspectives: Jan Grolich emphasized regional collaboration as a catalyst for economic growth, while Michaela Fritz highlighted innovation’s role in bridging policy gaps. Petra Korlaar grounded discussions in local action, showcasing Mikulov’s cross-border initiatives, and MEP Lukas Mandl linked these efforts to EU-wide strategies, reinforcing how interconnected regions fortify Europe’s unity. Together, their insights created a compelling vision of cohesion — from grassroots to governance — as the foundation of a resilient Europe.
Outcomes
This year's hackathon revolved around 6 tracks:
Energy: Reframing renewable energy as a shared opportunity, not a disruption.
Security: Strengthening defense in sustainable, inclusive ways that engage and earn public support.
Democracy: Reinforcing democratic values through mutual learning from Centralist and Federalist governance models.
Mobility: Designing eco-friendly “last-mile” connections to link rural areas with public transport across Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia.
Tourism: Boosting cross-border tourism through stronger collaboration with Czech and Slovak partners.
History: Reconnecting our regions through the stories, places, and legacies we share.
find out more in our report
our partners
We are proud to collaborate with a network of forward-thinking partners who share our commitment to innovation, impact, and excellence. Their support helps bring this event to life and create meaningful experiences for all participants.
Become a partner of Cross-Border Dialogue now!
Reach out to us via our contacts below