On 12 June 2012 five Russian orphans, aged 14 to 18, from the Russian orphanage Vorontsovo landed at Vienna Airport. The children walked on Viennese grounds with sparkling eyes, awaiting several weeks of exciting adventures in Austria. Among many highlights they also visited the H. Stepic CEE Charity. Pascale Vayer, chairwoman of kleine herzen, longstanding partner of H. Stepic CEE Charity, organized the whole stay for the young Russians from 12 June to 30 June.
Irina, Vladimir, Andrej, Andrej and Nadezhda were rewarded with this journey because of their outstanding academic performance. The trip to Vienna shall remain a lasting memory and motivation for their future.
As part of their trip to Vienna the five young Russians visited among the many highlights the Vienna State Opera, the Russian Embassy, the Chamber of the Austrian Federal President, the UN, the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting), the dancing school Elmayer and BMW. Moreover, they enjoyed a Danube Canal Cruise with the DDSG Blue Danube and visited Vienna with a Russian tourist guide. They also participated in different sporting activities like hiking, fencing, horse riding, swimming and climbing. Austrian Airlines sponsored the tickets for the flight to Austria while Anker, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s Schwarzenbergplatz, the restaurant Akakiko and the famous Viennese Café Landtmann cared for the children’s culinary treats. Pascale Vayer not only stayed with the adolescents during the activities but also offered them a place to stay with her and her family.
On 28 June – two days before their departure – Irina, Vladimir, Andrej, Andrej and Nadezhda visited Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) and got to know Herbert Stepic, founder and chairman of the H. Stepic CEE Charity as well as CEO of RBI. He explained them his daily work as a bank manager and motivated the adolescents for their own future.
Here you will find some impressions of the childrens’ stay:
