Life Ball
The Life Ball in Vienna is the biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS.
To ensure that the meaning of this major event is not forgotten, the opening ceremony on Vienna's city hall square includes moments of silence and speeches by international stars and partners, which focus on raising awareness for AIDS.
Since the establishment of this society highlight, which has become a real tradition, numerous celebrities (designers, actors, musicians, politicians, and models) show their personal commitment to the issue with live performances and send a strong signal of solidarity.
[5] The opening gala features a wide variety of music, from operetta to pop, national as well as international stars, and the fashion show on the huge Red Ribbon stage.
In case of repeated accreditation, the organizers check whether the topic of AIDS was also addressed in the coverage to avoid that only stars and celebrities are mentioned.
The new German TV station TIMM covered the event in 2009 in a 4-hour non-stop program, for which the ORF signal was used in part.
It is also mainly his achievement that fashion representatives and celebrities of the entertainment industry such as Roseanne Barr, Elton John, Catherine Deneuve, Liza Minnelli, Sharon Stone, Dita von Teese, Anastacia, Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell and Jenna Jameson attend the opening show.
Ever since the first Life Ball, a fashion show, then presented by Thierry Mugler, has become a key feature of the event.
In the second year, at the Life Ball on May 28, 1994, the money raised through donations, sponsoring and ticket sales was doubled.
It was also the first Ball at which the opening show took place on the city hall square and was publicly accessible.
Since 2006, the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), which was founded by Elizabeth Taylor and whose current president is Sharon Stone, has been a cooperation partner of the Life Ball.
When not discussed in the equal rights context, "gays are considered creative and fun—and are said to throw better parties", which is a money-making cliché.
[11] At the Life Ball 2008, they celebrated their one-year anniversary and graced the runway in a partner-look outfit.
On the occasion of the XVIII International AIDS Conference that is beginning one day after the big event in Vienna, this year's Life Ball will be very special.
The "concept of the three houses" unites three extraordinary events and important organizations; the amfAR gala in the Parliament, the Elton John AIDS Foundation at the Red Ribbon Cotillion in the Burgtheater, and the William J. Clinton Foundation at the traditional Life Ball in the Vienna City Hall.
Each year, thousands of requests for Life Ball Tickets are received and few are granted to this exclusive experience.
A notable event at the 2013 Life Ball was Barbara Eden appearing, wearing her Jeannie outfit.
In that year, also a limited edition of stamps featuring Naomi Campbell in comic style was sold on eBay.
Since 2006, the Life Ball Fanfare, composed by Bela Fischer, has been played at the beginning of the opening show.
Professional models on the catwalk such as Marcus Schenkenberg, Alek Wek, Nadja Auermann, Heidi Klum, Eva Padberg, Eva Riccobono, and Naomi Campbell appear alongside stars and celebrities such as Udo Kier, Olivia Jones, Til Schweiger, Kylie Minogue, Cyndi Lauper, Dolly Buster, Austrian Health Minister Andrea Kdolsky.
The EUR 100,000 decoration has been presented by a celebrity or head of an AIDS organization to honor achievements in the field of HIV/AIDS research since 2005.
Since 1995, when Paris Premiere and a Spanish TV station joined the media crowd, the Life Ball has been broadcast on a pan-European level.
Since 2002, stricter accreditation criteria have been applied and the number of media representatives has been limited to 500 due to capacity restrictions.
And apart from a short stint at Hofburg palace in 1999 due to renovations, the venue of the Ball has always been Vienna's city hall.
[18] Since 2008, nine full-time employees of the Life Ball have worked on the acquisition of donations in money and kind and coordinated all volunteers and participants over the course of a year.
At a press conference, Andreas Röthlin also made it clear that "as opposed to many other charitable organizations, AIDS LIFE is very efficiently managed, also and especially with regard to expenses."
– Der Standard, May 21, 2006 "Some political gay rights activists and "fundamentalists" are skeptical about the way the idea and the ball are turned into a lifestyle and are diluted, but nobody speaks up to voice criticism.
"[10] Gery Keszler is well aware of the delicate balancing act between the fun factor, which in turn attracts people and companies, creates publicity and, eventually, collects as much in donations as possible, and the message to be conveyed.
