Franz Fischler's lecture at the European Academy of Religion intends to contribute to the political vision of an open society as well as the peaceful coexistence of the secular world with major religious traditions in the EU. These considerations are becoming increasingly pertinent in light of ongoing and currently escalating global conflicts, which have long since reached the heart of Europe. His knowledge and experience as President of the European Forum Alpbach and the Ecosocial Forum Europe, along with his tenures as former EU Commissioner, lend particular weight to the conference's objective to critically examine transformation processes at the intersection of religion and society.