On September 29, 2017, the CeMM members went on the annual outing of the institute, to start the academic year with a community experience, to strengthen the relationships with colleagues, and to broaden our horizon. This year, we visited Göttweig Abby and the Schallaburg, both spectacular historic sites in a picturesque landscape.

On perfect weather, the trip started with a visit of Göttweig Abby, also known as “Lower Austria´s Montecassino” for its beautiful location on top of a hill. The Benedictine monastery, founded in the 11^th century, is full of valuable collections of religious engravings, coins, antiquities and musical manuscripts, and its architectural features are ranging from Romanesque to Baroque. The imperial wing with its sumptuous furnishings and exquisite (ceiling-) paintings left a strong impression.

The second part of the outing brought us to the Schallaburg, where an exhibition on Islam in Austria provided background knowledge and facts, but also new perspectives and food for thought. Where do cultures and religions meet? Where does diversity give rise to fear, where is it felt to be a threat? CeMM is grateful to Professor emeritus Bert Fragner, expert in Islamic and Iranian Studies, who accompanied us and explained how the Islam and Muslim cultures belong to Austria and its society since centuries.