Dr. Hannes Bauer, Member of the Austrian National Assembly (2008)

Dear Sir and Madam! Dear visitors!

"Xin Nian hao!" or merry New Year! Let me first wish you much luck, health and success for the still young year of the rat (since Februar 7th 2008) – May luck be with you and your families!

In order to be able to advance toward the future openly and successfully, it is absolutely necessary to have knowledge of own history and past. Only this knowledge creates the necessary condition to be able to resolve confrontations and individual disputes by drawing new and unknown fresh ideas and suggestions for the future. Mutual historical consciousness is therefore an important foundation in times of ongoing globalization, because even local acting requires ever more frequent global thinking!

Thus it is very pleasing that the Chinese New Year gala "Shen Yun Chinese Spectacular" is in Austria for the first time this year, bringing thousands of years of old traditions, stories and ancient Chinese culture in a new and modern form closer to the entire audience and awakening in them interest in Chinese history and culture.

Therefore I wish you – beloved visitors – good entertainment and to the organizers and contributors of this Gala good luck and success in all your performances!

Yours,

Dr. Hannes Bauer, Member of the Austrian National Assembly and Economic Speaker of the Social-Democratic party in Austria