Customary Reception
As a festive conclusion to the first conference day, a customary reception will take place in front of the Imperial Palace Innsbruck. The public is warmly invited to witness this impressive cultural spectacle.
Tuesday, from 7:15 p.m. in front of the Imperial Palace in Innsbruck
A living tradition
The customary reception, specific to the federal province, can be traced back to the tradition of Imperial Austria, where high-ranking guests of honour were welcomed with military honours. After the foundation of the Tyrolean Rifle Association in 1950, this province-specific reception evolved from the original welcoming ceremony into a unique Tyrolean tradition. Today, Tyrol remains the only federal province to hold such traditional receptions.
The term customary reception is used exclusively at official events of the Province of Tyrol, when the Federal President of the Republic of Austria, the Governor of Tyrol, a member of the Provincial Government, or the President of the Tyrolean Parliament receives the ceremonial report. The procedure is strictly regulated.
To honour the highest-ranking person present, a ceremonial gun salute is fired. The salute is an old symbol of peace, meaning: “For you, there is never a bullet in the rifle barrel. I approach you as a friend.”
A customary reception must follow this sequence:
- Announcement signal
- Report
- Provincial anthem
- Salute of honour
- General gun salute
- Welcoming schnapps
- Closing report, withdrawal or march-off
