The headquarters of the Salzburg Seminar are in Salzburg, Austria. Many of its year-round meetings take place in the 18th century castle Schloss Leopoldskron, known to moviegoers for its impressive presence in "The Sound of Music." "It is a very beautiful place," said Stephen Salyer, the Salzburg Seminar president, who was recently visiting Tokyo. "It is inspiring."
Salyer, from Kentucky, was 24 and in Africa when he first heard of the Salzburg Seminar. He said he was "very affected by a meeting dealing with the impact of mass communication. I came away feeling I wanted to spend my career in communication. I realized it was important for Americans to understand the world.
"That early influence was very meaningful to me. The Salzburg Seminar, which will be 60 years old next year, is a place where many different people come together to discuss global issues in fresh and useful ways."