A summer that brings people together

Whether playing football, going on excursions together, discussing different cultures or visiting care homes, around 500 children from 20 countries in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe spent two action-packed weeks this summer at the VIG Kids Camps in Vienna-Strebersdorf, Radstadt, Bleiburg and Leibnitz. It was about far more than just sport, games and sightseeing. The focus was on togetherness – transcending national, cultural and even generational boundaries.

When encounters turn into friendships

Anastasia from Romania explains just how quickly new connections can form. The twelve-year-old took part in the VIG Kids Camp in Radstadt for the second time and made new friends from Romania and Albania. A special moment for her was a visit to a care home in Radstadt.

Family across borders

For Ana-Maria, 13, from Bulgaria, it’s above all the new friendships that make the camp so special.

She secured her place at the camp through the international photo competition “We are family”. Her competition photo was taken on her birthday and shows her with her parents in front of a big birthday cake. What does family mean to her? “Being loved, looking out for one another and always being there for each other.”

Under the motto “We are family”, children aged 9 to 13 whose parents work for the Vienna Insurance Group and its Group companies were invited to creatively capture their personal idea of family in a photograph. The most compelling entries were rewarded with an invitation to the VIG Kids Camp. For the 14th time, Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein, the main shareholder of the Vienna Insurance Group, is bringing together children of employees from the international VIG companies in Austria through the VIG Kids Camp.

Sometimes it takes a bit of courage

For nine-year-old Novak from Serbia, the VIG Kids Camp also marked his first trip to Austria. He particularly remembers the ‘Evening of Nations’, during which the children presented the traditions and customs of their home countries.

And he’s already made a resolution for next time: “If I’m allowed to come back next year, I’d like to be braver and talk to children from other countries too.“

Leon, 12, from Vienna, also discovered that connections aren’t limited by age during his visit to the Caritas care home in Preding, Styria.

It is precisely these intergenerational encounters that form an important part of the VIG Kids Camp.

Agneta (12) and Simas (13) from Vilnius, together with other children from Lithuania, delighted the residents at the Caritas care home in Preding with a traditional Lithuanian folk dance. The cheerful dance tells the story of pancakes prepared by a grandmother according to an old family recipe.

“To start with, we dance together in a circle, holding hands, and then we split into pairs. We hope our performance brought joy to the audience,” says Agneta.

For the twelve-year-old, however, the VIG Kids Camp is far more than just a place to dance. She particularly values the opportunity to get to know children from other countries and make new friends. Simas is also taking home many special memories: the keen footballer has already made friends from Serbia and Türkiye at the VIG Kids Camp in Leibnitz.

But it is not only the children who will cherish these encounters – the same goes for 84-year-old Aloisia G., a resident at the Caritas care home in Preding. The former seamstress had prepared a special surprise for the young guests: she presented each child with a handmade lucky charm, giving them a very personal memento of the afternoon they had spent together.

15 countries, one week, ‘United in Plurality’

While the VIG Kids Camps focus on shared experiences, new friendships and intergenerational exchange, young people at the EYFON VIG YouthDays engage intensively with the question of what a diverse and peaceful Europe can look like.

Thirty young people aged between 14 and 17 from 15 countries gathered at Europaburg Neumarkt in Styria from 2 to 7 August. Under the motto “United in Plurality”, they explored diversity, prejudice, media literacy and peace education through workshops and discussions. Outdoor activities and an intercultural evening provided further opportunities to discover different perspectives and engage in conversation with one another.

The EYFON VIG YouthDays are organised by the European Youth Forum Neumarkt (EYFON) in cooperation with Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein. This year, they took place for the seventh time. Their aim is to connect young people from Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and to bring European values to life through personal encounters.

Diversity as a strength

A conversation with Ceren from Türkiye illustrates what ‘United in Plurality’ means to the young people themselves. The 17-year-old came to the YouthDays to meet people from other countries and learn more about their cultures and values.

And what does she wish for the future of Europe? Her answer is short and clear: “One thing above all: peace.”

Andrei, 16, from Bucharest, Romania, took part in the EYFON VIG YouthDays for the first time this year. He was particularly enthusiastic about the exchange with young people from other countries.

For his contribution to ‘What does plurality mean to me?’, he explored the cultural diversity of Transylvania and the coexistence of Romanians, Hungarians and Transylvanian Saxons. “To me, ‘United in Plurality’ means that we should use our diversity to bring us together.”

Andrei also has a clear goal for his future: he wants to become a pianist. For Europe, he hopes for greater cohesion: “I hope that in future we will be more united and won’t let our differences divide us.”

Iris, 16, from Albania, is already familiar with the VIG family. After taking part in the VIG Kids Camp, she set herself a new challenge this year and took part in the YouthDays. There, she got to know young people from Türkiye and Serbia.

What remains of the summer

Four camp locations, around 500 children from 20 countries, 30 young people from 15 countries – behind these figures lie, above all, personal encounters. Some last just an afternoon; others develop into friendships that endure for years and across borders.

Whether they are nine or 17 years old, whether from Serbia, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania or Austria: the experiences of the children and young people show what can happen when people approach one another with curiosity.

Perhaps that is precisely the most important memory these young people will take away from this summer: differences do not necessarily divide us. When we get to know one another, they can bring us together.