Austro-Russian friendship society
| Austro-Russian friendship society | |
|---|---|
| Seat | Vienna |
| founding | 2000
|
| place | Palais Kaiserhaus, Wallnerstraße 3/5 / 28A, 1010 Vienna |
| president | Richard Schenz |
| Vice President (s) | Christoph Matznetter |
| Secretary General | Florian Stermann |
| Website | www.orfg.net |
The Austro-Russian Friendship Society , ORFG for short, is an association that aims to network Austria and Russia in the fields of business, politics, education and culture. It sees itself as a platform for networking Austria and Russia at all levels. Building on its excellent anchoring in both countries, it implements 80 to 120 projects from a wide variety of areas each year, with the aim of contributing to a sustainable and positive development of Austro-Russian relations.
The network enables its members to take part in discussions with decision-makers in the Russian Federation, provides support with questions about visa applications and arranges business contacts.
In order to guarantee the flawless implementation of projects and activities, the ORFG has a head office in Vienna, representative offices in Styria, Upper Austria and Moscow as well as agencies in Innsbruck and Klagenfurt.
organs
The association is represented by a presidium and an extended board. Richard Schenz has headed the company since November 2015 . General Secretary Florian Stermann is responsible for the operational business . From 2012 to 2015 Ludwig Scharinger acted as President.
The association currently has around 5,000 members and proponents. Among the members of the presidium and the executive board of the ORFG are leading representatives of the Austrian federal ministries, parliamentary parties, Austrian federal states as well as political and economic interest groups and the private sector.
The ORFG has been working closely with the Russian Embassy since the association began. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Austria, currently Dmitrij Lyubinsky, is Honorary President of the Society.
Fields of activity
economy and politics
- Networking
- Organization of visits by high-level representatives of the Russian Federation
- Presentation of Russian regions
education
- The ORFG as an interface between education and business in the Austrian-Russian context
- School partnerships
- Establishment of an Austro-Russian internship platform
Events
At these quarterly evenings, personalities from politics, business and administration speak on a Russia-related topic. A subsequent reception offers the members the opportunity to exchange ideas and maintain contacts.
History of the ORFG
For a long time, the Austro-Soviet society organized trips abroad and ensured economic and cultural exchange between the two countries. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, however, the society lost its right to exist. For nine years there was no such connection between Russia and Austria.
In 2000, a six-person committee decided to found the ORFG in order to intensify these relationships again. The first president was the now general secretary Florian Stermann. Companies in both countries benefit from trade between Austria and Russia. Austrian exports rose between 2000 and 2008 from 654 million to 2.97 billion euros.
Russia is Austria's most important gas supplier. In return, Austria supplies Russia with mechanical engineering products, systems and motor vehicles.
The first relations between the two countries developed as early as the 16th century. Siegmund von Herberstein undertook diplomatic missions to Russia at that time. These intensified in the 18th century under Peter I the Great. Relations became closer from 1772 when Poland was divided among its neighbors .
In the second half of the 19th century, tensions arose between the two countries despite several alliances. Since the end of the Second World War, relations have intensified primarily through the efforts of the Soviet Society and now the Austro-Russian Society.
Presidium (excerpt)
- Richard Schenz (Vice President of the WKO)
- Christoph Matznetter (Vice President Austrian Chamber of Commerce)
- Florian Stermann (Managing Director EMB Vienna)
- Dmitrij Ljubinskij (Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Austria), Honorary President
Web links
- Austro-Russian friendship society
- Russia's new granary ( Memento from November 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
- Representative office opened in Graz
Individual evidence
- ^ The Austrian-Russian Friendship Society (ORFG) mourns the loss of its former President Scharinger . OTS report of January 14, 2019, accessed on January 16, 2019.
- ↑ "Courier: Enormous export opportunity in Russia"
- ↑ New export record to Russia this year " ( Memento from June 19, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ University of Munich: Empire Tsarism