Many offers for young people and a large inclusion concert are part of the colorful daily program of the 41st Danube Island Festival. The charity partner is the LernLEO of the Samaritan Association of Vienna.
Vienna (OTS/SPW) – The Danube Island Festival, which takes place this year from 21st to 23rd. June, which takes place under the motto #myheartbeatsisland, is there for all Viennese and visitors far beyond the country’s borders. Low-threshold access has always been guaranteed through free entry. The focus is on social cohesion and respectful cooperation. In its commitment to equal opportunities, Europe’s largest open-air festival supports the LernLEO educational institution of the Samaritan Association of Vienna as this year’s charity partner. In addition, the focus on inclusion at the festival will be expanded once again: a large concert for young people with disabilities, their families, educators and carers and of course everyone interested will open the 41st Danube Island Festival on the festival Friday. In addition, the first program highlights for the youngest DIF visitors have been announced, such as a WOW show with Robert Steiner and Rolf Rüdiger on the festival Saturday.
#dif24 charity partner LernLEO brings great social added value
Barbara Novak, organizer of the Danube Island Festival and state party secretary of the SPÖ Vienna: „Vienna is a city in which everyone not only has a place, but also the same rights and opportunities. Children and young people need the best educational opportunities, regardless of financial opportunities, origin or gender. According to this year’s motto, the LernLEO from the Samaritan Association of Vienna makes my heart beat faster. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families receive the support they need to lead a self-determined life. That’s why it’s a special matter close to our hearts to actively support LernLEO as a charity partner of the Donauinselfest this year.
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In 2013, the Samaritan Association of Vienna launched the free LernLEO service. Currently, more than 120 children and young people between the ages of six and 14 from socioeconomically disadvantaged families are cared for at three locations. LernLEO offers homework support, tutoring, reading together, playing games and healthy snacks. The project not only ensures social, societal and cultural integration, but also paves the way for the participants to lead a self-determined life. The great relevance of LernLEO is shown by a current study by the NPO Competence Center at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). The question of the extent to which the work of the LernLEO generates social added value shows an outstanding result: every euro invested in the LernLEO creates social added value of 22.09 euros*.
Dr. Susanne Drapalik, President and State Chief Physician of the Samaritan Association of Vienna: „LernLEO opens up a community for children within a protected space that usually lasts several years. This promotes their confidence in their own abilities and work and, in addition to their knowledge, their personality also grows. We are pleased and grateful that we can use the Danube Island Festival as an important platform for our LernLEOs.
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Oliver Löhlein, managing director of the Samaritan Association of Vienna: „In LernLEO’s eleventh year of existence, demand for our offering remains high. We currently have 300 children on the waiting list. So there is more need for more LernLEOs than ever. Accordingly, we need a lot of additional support here.
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At the Danube Island Festival, visitors can support LernLEO by donating their cup deposit of two euros per cup. In addition, the project will also be present at the Samaritan Association of Vienna’s food truck at the festival with a hands-on corner for children and will therefore be part of the comprehensive daily program.
Donauinselfest opening on festival Friday with a big inclusion concert
Barbara Novak: „The Danube Island Festival is a festival for all Viennese. Inclusion is a central theme for us and will be expanded even further this year. This year we are opening the 41st Danube Island Festival with a large inclusion concert for young people with disabilities, their families, educators and carers. With this concert we say thank you to everyone who lives inclusion and cohesion every day in our city.
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All people with special needs, their teachers, carers, families and friends are cordially invited to the concert on Friday, June 21st, in the morning. The Donauinselfest, together with hallermobil and the Viennese start-up FullAccess, takes care of the logistics and a unique festival experience. Of course, interested parties are also welcome. The stage act will be announced with the entire program in May at the latest.
Matthias Friedrich, Managing Director of the Pro Event Team for Vienna and project manager of the Danube Island Festival: „At the Danube Island Festival, together with our partners, we have long been setting standards for the inclusion of people with disabilities. Be it as part of our collaboration with the Viennese start-up FullAccess since 2017, which offers tailor-made solutions at festivals for people with disabilities, our own platforms that can be accessed by wheelchairs and offer the best view of stages, or our buddy system, which provides accompaniment for the DIF visit. Furthermore, we will never tire of pushing forward the idea of inclusion at the Vienna Danube Island Festival in the coming years.
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#dif24 during the day: children’s program, recruiting and much more
The fact that the Danube Island Festival is not just a concert and evening event has been proven for many years. On all three festival days there is a free program for every generation starting at 10 a.m., including sport, dance, information and advice. This year there is a particularly strong focus on youth and young talent with a WOW show by Robert Steiner and Rolf Rüdiger on the festival Saturday – including a performance by*der Rock-The-Island-Contest-4-Kids-Gewinner*in. The recruiting area is being implemented for the second time and in a larger form. In addition, countless other offers have already been fixed during the day, such as, for example, countless other offers have already been fixed during the day, such as basketball, a partner program from the Austrian Armed Forces, among others, the Edelstoff design market, a showcase of Vienna’s helpers, advice offers on the work world island and Fitness, yoga, DJ workshops and dance offers on the stages.
Images can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/donauinselfest/albums
Video material about the educational institution LernLEO is available under the use of (c) LernLEO/Samariterbund Wien here available, and the quotes will also be available as an audio track here over the course of the afternoon Download ready.
The Danube Island Festival
The Vienna Danube Island Festival is the largest open-air festival in Europe with free admission. For over 40 years, visitors to the Danube Island have been offered a top-class music, action and fun program as well as a comprehensive range of information and services. The festival has always stood for social cohesion, an affordable and modern Vienna and respectful interaction with one another. www.donauinselfest.at
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The presenting partners of the Donauinselfest 2024 are: Wien Energie, UniCredit Bank Austria, OBI, Wiener Städtische Versicherung, Austrian Lotteries and Wien Holding.
Questions & Contact:
Ecker & Partner public relations
Nicole Ustupska, Nele Renzenbrink & Alexandra Ebner
Tel.: +43 1 59932-22/26/50
presse@donauinselfest.at