2026 Annual Botstiber Lecture

Thomas Starlinger, former Austrian Secretary of Defense, will deliver the Annual Botstiber Lecture: “From the Alps to the Rocky Mountains: 250 Years of Austrian-American Relations. Charting the Course of Friendship through Historical and Global Change.”

The 2026 Botstiber Lecture will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 6:30 pm, at the Embassy of the Austrian Republic, 3524 International Court, NW, Washington, DC.

A graduate of the Theresian Military Academy, and a participant in the Austrian General Staff Honors Course, Major General Starlinger has held many leadership positions within the Austrian Armed Forces, serving both in Austria and in Brussels.

From June 2019 to January 2020, he was Secretary of Defense in the Austrian government while since February 2020, he has been the National Security Advisor to Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen.

Major General Starlinger has also served in several missions in Syria (UNDOF), Iran (Austrian Field Hospital), Cyprus (UNFICYP) and Tajikistan (UNMOT). From November 2008 until May 2009, he was in command of the Multinational Task Force South/KFOR in Kosovo.

He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative / Austrian World Summit (AWS), the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCSS), and the International Advisory Board of the Austrian Supply Chain Intelligence Institute (ASCII).

Major General Starlinger moderates the multidisciplinary “Future Operations Platform” gathering various scientists in the fields of Health, Economy, Data Science, Society and Geopolitics.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

************

Please bring a photo I.D.

************

Seating is not guaranteed.

************

Please note that photographs and footage will be taken throughout the event. These might be used by the Embassy for marketing and promotional purposes in its publications, on its website and in social media, or in any third-party publication.

************

Parking on International Court is available after 6:30 pm (for the duration of the event), or on 36th Street (access to the Embassy through the park behind the building). Van Ness Metro (Red Line) is a short distance away.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher The Embassy of Austria