In many countries, we’ve learned that cultural heritage is a key aspect of a society’s identity. Art is creative, innovative and, in a certain sense as an expression of culture, reflects how people live and communicate.

Preserving cultural heritage and maintaining a lively, diverse cultural landscape plays a significant role in a region’s sustainable, successful development. Both aspects, just like educational institutions and infrastructure, help improve the quality of life, which in turn makes a crucial contribution to a region's attractiveness.

One example of our commitment is the Salzburg Festival, one of the largest and most important arts festivals of the world. Siemens has been a partner here since 1996, and a main sponsor since 1999. Our annual support helps maintain high artistic standards and ensure ongoing artistic development. A particular highlight here is the Siemens Festival Night, which since 2002 has opened up the Festival experience by enabling anyone to watch live broadcasts of outstanding opera productions at central locations in Salzburg, thus helping pull down cultural barriers.