2024-11-16 09:41:00
The “Gala for LIGHT IN THE DARK”, which took place yesterday, November 15, 2024, as the main evening show with inclusive activities, prominent guests and music acts and a sporting challenge in advance and was shown live on ORF 2 and on ORF ON from 8:15 p.m was once again a great success with the public. The gala and challenge at the ORF media campus were all about inclusion throughout the day. Donations raised 3.04 million euros for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL.
Present at the live broadcast were, among others, Federal Minister for Art, Culture, Public Service and Sport, Mag. Werner Kogler, and, representing Federal Chancellor Mag. Karl Nehammer, MSc, Federal Minister for Women, Family, Integration and Media, MMag. a. Dr. Susanne Raab, the National Council members Ing. Norbert Hofer (FPÖ) and Dr. Helmut Brandstätter (NEOS) as well as numerous celebrities and public figures who emphasized the importance of the aid campaign. The inclusive gala evening was moderated by Fanny Stapf and Andreas Onea, and Ani Gülgün-Mayr responded from the donation call center provided free of charge by A1. The acoustic image description of the entire gala evening was spoken by the audio commentators Johannes Karner and Lukas Osztovics and interpreted into Austrian sign language by Sabine Zeller and Lidija Sammer.
In the “Challenge for LIGHT IN THE DARK”, a twelve-hour sporting competition in the run-up to the gala evening, a total of 19 celebrities and athletes with and without disabilities competed against each other in biking/handbiking, running and rowing to cover as many kilometers as possible to complete and thereby raise as much money as possible for a good cause. The thrilling finale took place live during the gala show. The winner was the team with “Mister Austria” Alexander Höfler, “Dancing Stars” professional dancer Danilo Campisi, “Fit with the Stars” presenter Conny Kreuter, and para-cyclist Franz-Josef Lässer, para-canoeist Markus Swoboda, para-swimmer Sabine Weber-fahrer and singer Eric Papilay (team partner Einhell). But also the other two teams with ORF commentator Corinna Kamper, pop singer Natalie Holzner, professional cyclist and entrepreneur Michi Knopf, deaf beach volleyball player Theresa Grath, para-swimmer Andreas Ernhofer and para-extreme athlete Erich Artner (team partner Magna) or with para-cross-country skiers Carina Edlinger, para-athlete in shot put Georg Schober, cabaret artist Caroline Athanasiadis, Domestic policy expert Hans Bürger, boxer Fadi Merza, handbiker Walter Ablinger and Natalie Holzner, who stepped in at the last minute for a bike session after two rowing sessions (Team BWT), showed impressive sporting achievements. Because all the kilometers collected during the challenge were converted into money by the three team partners and sponsors Einhell, BWT and Magna. In total, the “Challenge for LIGHT IN THE DARK” raised 500,001 euros for “LIGHT IN THE DARK” projects.
Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen: “We are currently experiencing a time in which many are withdrawing from the community and concentrating on their own advancement. LIGHT IN THE DARK, however, reminds us that this is also a time for compassion. Of commitment. And humanity. Yes, we have a lot of concerns right now. But how important it is not to withdraw is shown by hundreds of projects that accompany countless people on their way to a self-determined life. Real help and lived solidarity strengthen the community. LIGHT IN THE DARK is a widely visible and tangible sign that these values have not gone out of fashion today.”
Prof. Pius Strobl, ORF Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and therefore ORF Director of LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL: “The action rounds at the ‘Gala for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL’ illustrated how challenging the lives of people with disabilities can be. At ORF we are committed to barrier-free participation for the approximately two million people in Austria who live with disabilities or limitations. It is therefore particularly important to us to motivate donations in order to be able to best support LICHT INS DUNKEL’s inclusion projects. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all partner companies and donors for the overwhelmingly high amount of donations, which shows that help from everyone can become a reality for everyone.”
“’The Gala for LIGHT IN THE DARK’ as a TV program on ORF 2 was well received by the audience and reached an average of 377,000 viewers. The peak was 523,000 viewers and a market share of 18 percent.
The day of action for LIGHT IN THE DARK makes important projects possible
The entire “LIGHT IN THE DARK” day of action impressively demonstrated that the generous mutual support of people living in Austria can be relied upon. The considerable sum of 3.04 million euros was the result of their active contribution, which will once again help many people with disabilities and families and children in need in Austria. LICHT INS DUNKEL also uses the donations to support important inclusion and social projects throughout Austria, such as last year’s “Sowiedu”, the association for childcare, education and promotion of creativity in Vienna, which supports students with dyslexia and/or autism. the art project “Spiel Raum Musik” in Salzburg, in which people with disabilities make music together with musicians, dancers and students from the Orff Institute at the Mozarteum University Salzburg dance or the working group for physically disabled children in Vorarlberg, in which children and young people with physical and severe multiple disabilities from almost all regions of Vorarlberg are looked after.
The gala evening was broadcast in a fully barrier-free manner (live subtitling, live translation into Austrian sign language and live audio description). The TV broadcast of the “Gala for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL” is available as video-on-demand on ORF ON, the ORF’s video platform, and the same applies to the barrier-free offerings.
ORF supports LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL in all of its media
In the 52nd year of the campaign, the ORF is once again supporting LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL in all of its media and state studios in order to motivate as many people as possible to help. Television, radio, online and the state studios profit with numerous campaigns and productions – such as the “Celebrity Million Show for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL”, the “LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL Music Wish Day” on the ORF radios, the “ORF III Auction for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL “, the auction in “Sport on Sunday for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL”, the “Ö1 celebrity quiz for LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL”, the “Ö3 Christmas Miracle”, a variety of projects in the state studios and of course the all-day broadcast on Christmas Eve – donations in the millions. Also under the banner of LIGHT IN THE DUNKEL are the “Seitenblicke Night Tour” and numerous contributions in the TV shows “Guten Morgen Österreich”, “Aktuell nach eins”, “Aktuell nach Five”, “Studio 2”, “Bundesland today”, as well as on ORF ON and in ORF SPORT + as well as in all ORF radio programs and in ORF TELETEXT.
You can find all the facts about online and SMS donations on the homepage lichtinsschwarz.ORF.at. In addition to the homepage, donations can be made all year round by calling or texting the free A1 donation telephone number 0800 664 24 12 and on Facebook at ORFLichtinsDunkel. All information about donation options can also be found in the ORF TELETEXT on page 680.
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How does Prof. Pius Strobl define the importance of accessibility in broadcasting for the “LIGHT IN THE DARK” initiative?
**Interview with Prof. Pius Strobl, ORF Head of Corporate Social Responsibility**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Prof. Strobl. The “Gala for LIGHT IN THE DARK” was a tremendous success. Can you share your thoughts on the impact of this event?
**Prof. Strobl:** Thank you for having me. The gala, along with the “Challenge for LIGHT IN THE DARK,” really showcased the incredible spirit of solidarity within our community. It raised over 3.04 million euros, which will directly benefit people with disabilities and their families across Austria. This event highlighted the essential nature of inclusion, and it’s heartening to see how the community rallied behind this cause.
**Editor:** That’s an impressive amount raised! What specific projects will these funds support?
**Prof. Strobl:** The donations will support various inclusion projects, for example, initiatives like “Sowiedu,” which assists students with dyslexia and autism in Vienna, and “Spiel Raum Musik,” a musical collaboration project for people with disabilities in Salzburg. There are numerous projects across the country that aim to help individuals lead more self-determined lives, which is at the core of our mission.
**Editor:** The sporting challenge aspect of the event was unique as well. How did you feel about the participation of celebrities and athletes in this challenge?
**Prof. Strobl:** It was truly inspiring! Having a diverse group of 19 athletes and celebrities compete in biking, running, and rowing not only raised substantial funds but also sent a strong message about inclusion. Their dedication and performance illustrated the capabilities of individuals with and without disabilities. It was a beautiful example of unity and teamwork for a common cause.
**Editor:** The gala was broadcasted in a fully accessible manner. How important is this for viewers?
**Prof. Strobl:** It is incredibly important. Accessibility is key to inclusion, and ensuring that our broadcasts are barrier-free—through live subtitling and Austrian sign language interpretation—allows us to reach everyone. We want to create spaces where all individuals, regardless of their abilities, can engage and participate fully.
**Editor:** In the words of Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, how does the “LIGHT IN THE DARK” initiative embody commitment and humanity in today’s society?
**Prof. Strobl:** Dr. Van der Bellen’s words resonate deeply. The initiative serves as a reminder that despite challenges, community and compassion are vital. By coming together through events like this, we reaffirm our commitment to helping each other and highlight the importance of fostering an inclusive society. Every contribution made—whether financial, emotional, or physical—strengthens our collective effort.
**Editor:** Thank you, Prof. Strobl, for your insights and your commitment to inclusion in Austria.
**Prof. Strobl:** Thank you for having me; it’s my pleasure to discuss such an important cause!
