SOCIETY 368 / 2015

FOTOS: SOCIETY/POBASCHNIG
Highlights of WA
Welcome to Austria offers its members an amazing
list of programmes and events familiarizing foreign
diplomats with the Austrian way of life.
The Board of “Welcome to
Austria”
The Congress of Vienna and the Ringstraße
were and still are leading subjects
of this year’s Welcome to Austria’s
programs. Art, architecture, society,
lectures, music and leisurely issues are
circling around these two themes. 150 years of the
Ringstraße, Vienna’s main boulevard around the
Imperial City Center and 200 years of The Congress
of Vienna, when modern diplomacy was born, both
provide plenty ways to present Austrian culture
and civilization to foreign diplomats.
Down town most of events and appointments
take place, when Austrian guides, Viennese private
or public invitations and hidden treasures give an
insight into a leading culture in the heart of Europe.
Central Europe – that’s geographically where
Vienna is located and everybody can feel it at any
moment spent in town.
Welcome to Austria continues to give its members
an intimate feeling for the place they live in
for only some years. A personal insight not easily
acquainted as well as personal attention to newcomers
of the diplomatic corps with their families
touch members from all over the world. Cultural
events and Austrian civilization open up, explained
and familiarized for those who just arrived. And
new members are welcome at any time!
Be it one of the numerous visits to Palais, museums
or exhibitions on The Ringstraße or be it the
private access to the International singing competition
„Belvedere“ of Hans Gabor in the Vienna
Staatsoper, be it the excursion to treasures of Wiener
Neustadt and an Austrian producer of special
helicopters, the Adamas String Quartett’s extraordinary
performance or an introduction to the Second
District about who, why, where and when was
and is living there – a great number of very special
programs were offered.
What tourists do not see is happily attended
month per month by spouses and diplomats foreign
to Vienna who would last-not-least enjoy also
culinary secrets in nearly every context. Who would
not appreciate chocolate pralines of Altmann &
Kühne directly produced before his/her eyes? Great
interest was shown by active diplomats and their
spouses for either Vienna’s urbanistic projects
presented in the Planungswerkstatt as well as for
antique European furniture in the Hofmobiliendepot.
With Welcome to Austria the First Biennale of
Vienna was discovered in preview with its director
Christoph Thun-Hohenstein (MAK) as his mother is
a coordinator of Welcome to Austria.
Families of foreign diplomats, spouses and soon
also children give constantly feedback on the club’s
programs. This leads to a natural dialogue resulting
in new events and get-togethers exchanging experiences
and impressions on Austrian civilization
directly where they can be experienced. Welcome
to Austria is an eye opener for Austrian culture.
Since recently we are updating our photo gallery
on the renewed website.
•
DIPLOMATIE
WELCOME TO AUSTRIA
General Assembly
WELCOME
TO AUSTRIA
WA “Welcome to Austria”
was founded in 1997 by Dr.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who
was then State Secretary for
Foreign Affairs,
with the overriding
objective
of introducing
foreign diplomats
and international
civil servants assigned
to Vienna
and their spouses
to the Austrian
way of life. The
aims of WA are to
promote the awareness and
understanding of Austria’s
rich heritage of culture and
history past and present. WA
would welcome newly accredited
diplomats and their
spouses to join the club.
•
WA invites you to join:
n You will meet many
interesting Austrians in a
relaxed atmosphere and
make new friends.
n You will be offered a
wide choice of excellent
programmes and learn
a great deal about your
host country.
n You will be invited to private
homes and through
WA events you will enjoy
many things which you
would not have access to
outside our Association.
•
THE BOARD OF
“WELCOME TO AUSTRIA”
• Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner
– Founding President
• Foreign Minister
Sebastian Kurz – President
• Gabrielle Schallenberg –
Honorary Vice President
• Ambassador Dr. Angelika
Saupe – 1 st Vice President
• Mag. Agnes Stillfried – 2 nd
Vice President
• Robert Thum – Treasurer
• Mag. Gertrud
Tauchhammer – Public
Affairs, “Schriftführerin”
• Dr. Elisabeth Wolff – Music
• Dr. Heidelore
Almoslechner – German
• Anne Thun-Hohenstein –
History, Art
• Dr. Stefanie Winkelbauer –
Applied Arts, Cuisine
• Mag. Adelaida Calligaris –
Liaison Officer
• Ellen Spallinger – Liaison
Officer
•
OFFICE HOURS
Mon-Tue: 2 – 5 p.m.
Wed-Thu-Fri: 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Elisabeth Jungreithmair,
Secretary
Hofburg, Stallburg, Reitschulgasse
2, 1010 Vienna
Phone: +43-(0)1-535 88 36
Fax: +43-(0)1-535 88 37
office@welcome-to-austria.org
www.welcome-to-austria.org
SOCIETY 2_2015 | 65