OREANDA-NEWS. 2013 Vienna will host the Life Ball for the 21st time. The world-famous stories from "1001 Nights" provided the inspiration for this year’s motto, "It takes the night to see the stars". OMV is one of responsible supporters of this occasion, Europe’s largest AIDS charity event.

It’s all happening on May 25, 2013: tens of thousands of onlookers, 500 journalists and around 65 TV crews will be jostling for position to catch a glimpse of the ultimate ball. Extravagant outfits, international live acts, culinary delights and a star-studded line-up will be painting Vienna red and raising crucial donations. OMV will be partnering the Life Ball for the first time in 2013 – the Life Ball plane from New York, which will bring the international guests to Vienna on May 24, will fly with EUR 60,000 worth of kerosene provided by OMV.

A strong sense of responsibility

“The Life Ball is driven by its countless supporters. I am proud that we have also managed to convince large companies of the importance of our work to help people infected with HIV and those suffering from AIDS. The sense of responsibility is growing and growing. We are delighted to welcome OMV on board as a key supporter in 2013”, says Life Ball organizer, Gery Keszler. Alois Wach, head of the OMV filling station business in Austria and Germany, explains, “As an international company we embrace sustainable and responsible behavior as an underlying principle. This is why we support the Life Ball, an incredibly important event which is fighting for a future without HIV and AIDS.”

Win a trip to New York and tickets to the Life Ball

OMV will be offering the chance to win 3x2 exclusive Life Ball packages. To take part, all OMV customers need to do is keep their receipts and enter the receipt number at www.omv.at/lifeball or on Facebook (facebook.com/OMVTankstellenOesterreich) between April 10 and May 1, 2013. The winners will not only receive a ticket to the Life Ball, but also a trip to New York including a four days stay in this metropolis, flying back on the “VIP Life Ball plane” alongside international stars, two nights in a hotel in Vienna and even an invitation to a Life Ball side event.

Facts and figures at a glance

The Life Ball celebrated its premiere in 1993; since then it has provided financial support to 35 national and 59 international AIDS projects in 35 countries. More than EUR 2.1 million was raised in donations in 2012 alone. The spectacular charity event is organized by AIDS LIFE, an independent nonprofit organization, founded by Gery Keszler and Dr. Torgom Petrosian in 1992. Celebrities who support the Life Ball include Sharon Stone, Antonio Banderas, Milla Jovovich, Sir Elton John, Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue and William J. Clinton.