Anniversary celebration: 30 years of Integration House for a better future in Vienna!

Anniversary celebration: 30 years of Integration House for a better future in Vienna!

An important anniversary is approaching: The Integrationshaus in Vienna is celebrating 30 years of dedicated work for refugees. The slogan “Be a Mensch” is not just a call, but the heart of what has been achieved here in Leopoldstadt since 1995. The Integrationshaus represents a safe haven where people can arrive, breathe a sigh of relief and dare to start anew, in the tradition of its co-founder Willi Resetarits, a human rights activist and musician who died on April 24, 2022https://kurier.at/chronik/wien/wien-jubilaeum-integrationshaus-geschichte-vision/403051476.

The founding idea arose in a climate that made the integration of refugees in Vienna urgently necessary. At that time, 12 employees focused on particularly vulnerable groups such as traumatized children, single parents and unaccompanied minor refugees. Today the team has grown to an impressive 188 employees. Last year, over 5,400 people found support - since it was founded, an impressive 80,000 have received help herehttps://www.integrationshaus.at/de/newsarchiv/das-lebensprojekt-von-willi-resetarits.

A legacy of respect

Because Resetarits was not only a co-founder, but also a central figure who shaped the house. His vision was to create a place where refugees could achieve independence through housing, psychosocial support and education. In recognition of his life's work, he was posthumously awarded the MIG Award 2023https://www.integrationshaus.at/de/newsarchiv/das-lebensprojekt-von-willi-resetarits.

The challenges are still great. Integration is a lengthy process that requires professional support. Unaccompanied minor refugees in particular face enormous hurdles. They have to get used to new processes and a foreign language and need special support to get a foothold in the new environmenthttps://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/hilfe-weltweit/perspectives-schaffen/integration.

Benefits through integration

The anniversary will be celebrated with a benefit concert on June 25, 2025 in the Arena Vienna. Artists like Der Nino from Vienna, Ernst Molden and Birgit Denk are on stage. The ticket price of 51.50 euros goes directly to the Integrationshaus, which gives the event an additional dimension of giving. The promotion of music by the women's orchestra is also a sign of solidarity and community in a pluralistic societyhttps://kurier.at/chronik/wien/wien-jubilaeum-integrationshaus-geschichte-vision/403051476.

The goal remains clear: constant dialogue with the population and taking their concerns seriously are essential for successful integration. Because this is the only way trust can be built. Ultimately, the arrival of refugees brings not only challenges but also the potential for positive social and economic changehttps://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/hilfe-weltweit/perspectives-schaffen/integration.