The 2011 Prize for “Integration Through Sport” was awarded by Minister of Sport Norbert Darabos and Secretary of State for Integration Sebastian Kurz at the House of Sports in early December. Tribute was paid to the 19 prize winners for highly sustainable and innovative projects promoting the integration of people with a migration background. This prize has been granted for the fourth time by the Austrian Integration Fund. Minister of Sport Norbert Darabos: “Sport makes an important contribution to the integration of socially disadvantaged groups in our society. Austria has a longstanding tradition of making sports accessible to all, including the socially weakest groups. The Ministry of Sport funds numerous projects of sports organisations focusing on this issue. Today we wish to call those people before the curtain who support these meaningful initiatives and to express our thanks”. The award ceremony was attended by successful athletes such as Liu Jia and Mirna Jukic. The European champions in table tennis and swimming acted as role models motivating young people to become active in sports. “With 70 entries for the prize, we achieved another record for the fourth time in a row. The welcomed great interest expressed in this prize highlights the commitment of the Austrian sports associations to supporting integration”, said Alexander Janda, Managing Director of the Austrian Integration Fund. A total of 19 project sponsors received awards in three categories. The two main prizes of the year 2011, each worth 3,000 euro, go to: “Mobile Sports Care” initiated by Rosa Sport & Wellness and the Vienna branch of the Working Community of Sports and Physical Education (ASKÖ); the organisers of the project approach women and mothers of Arab origin on children’s playgrounds to offer them tailored sports programmes; “Integration Cup Austria 2011” of the United Nations Alianza Latina; teams with a migrant share of at least 50 per cent compete in various disciplines, from volleyball to Hip Hop. 1,000 euro in prize money go to seven projects; 200 euro are granted in recognition of ten selected projects. Premiere of Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck On 13 January 2012 the first Winter Youth Olympic Games will be opened officially in Innsbruck. 1,059 athletes from 67 nations will compete on nine days in a total of 63 events for gold, silver and bronze medals. On 6 December 2011 the first three medals produced for this event were presented in the presence of Minister of Sport Norbert Darabos in the ceremonial hall of Münze Österreich AG. The gold, silver and bronze medals for the Games in Innsbruck are 70 millimetres in diameter, weigh 110 grams and are made of bronze; the medals for the first place are plated with gold, those for the second rank with silver. “The go-ahead has been given for the final and decisive preparations“, stated Darabos. “With the premiere of the Winter Youth Olympic Games, we will once more take centre stage in the world of sport. And we wish to deliver perfect competitions and a unique atmosphere at this event for athletes aged between 15 and 18 years.” Karl Stoss, President of the Austrian Olympic Committee, emphasised: “The International Olympic Committee selected Innsbruck as the host of the Winter Youth Olympic Games because one can safely assume that everything will be organised smoothly. Not without good reason, as Innsbruck did not only organise Olympic Games twice but has also acted as a host of numerous other large-scale events in the past few years.“ Initiative “Safe on Austrian Ski Slopes“ The ski season is drawing near. Hundreds of thousands of people will be skiing and snowboarding on Austrian ski slopes also this winter. On 13 December 2011 the Ministry of the Interior launched the initiative “Safe on Austrian Ski Slopes”. The Austrian Ski Association, UNIQA (Austria’s largest insurance group) and the Austrian drivers’ association ÖAMTC will act as project partners. According to Minister of the Interior Johanna MiklLeitner, the aim is to encourage skiers and snowboarders “to familiarise themselves with the relevant rules for the ski slopes”. To make sure that this project will become a success, the website www.sicher-auf-der-piste.at does not only offer safety recommendations but also a contest for kids and teens aged between 10 and 18 years.

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