The international exchange of young people is very popular at the Rohrbach Böhmerwald Lions Club. For 16 years, this program has enabled young people to get to know other countries, their uniqueness, cultures, traditions and, above all, their people. In return, the Lions and host families from the Rohrbach district take in young people from various countries around the world every year.
Together with his wife Andrea, Harald Dobersberger is the driving force behind the youth exchange. The two have already enabled 92 young people to spend time abroad and make international friends. “I would like to complete the 100th anniversary before I, as the person responsible for the club, hand the youth exchange over to younger people,” says Dobersberger.
The invited young people stay with their host families in the Mühlviertel for a week before moving to the large, two-week “Sound of Music Camp” in the Puttererschlössl in Aigen im Ennstal. All young people in this camp have musical training, present their country of origin musically at the camp and perform the always impressive finale of the camp at a joint closing concert.
The Mühlviertel welcome party took place on Sunday a week ago at the Kranzling in Haslach. Six young people from Romania, Estonia, Turkey, Serbia, the USA and Spain, as well as numerous Lions with their partners, were there. They watched the European Football Championship final together on a video wall. The result was particularly exciting for Ulyses Ferrández Sánchez from Spain. The following days were more than varied, with archery in Peilstein, a hike in the Bohemian Forest, a trip to Vienna and an adventure day at the Moldau reservoir with a downhill scooter and summer ski lift.
Given the good atmosphere, Lions President Stefan Hofer was more than satisfied: “Especially in challenging times, getting to know and understanding other cultures and ways of life is of great importance. We Lions promote this exchange.”
