Peace light

Ignition of the ORF Peace Light 2019 in the birth grotto in Bethlehem by the peace light child Victoria Kampenhuber from Upper Austria together with a political delegation

The ORF Friedenslicht from Bethlehem is a Christmas custom that was brought into being in 1986 in the ORF State Studio Upper Austria in Linz in connection with the ORF aid campaign “ Licht ins Dunkel ”. It recalls the message of the Christmas peace, which was proclaimed at the birth of Christ in Bethlehem and shines on millions of people around the world on Christmas Eve.

Every year, shortly before Christmas, a child from Upper Austria lights the ORF peace light in the grotto of Jesus' birth, which is then brought to Austria in a special lamp by Austrian Airlines . It is often accompanied by several hundred participants and a political delegation under the direction of the Governor of Upper Austria as part of a public trip.

The state of Upper Austria has supported this campaign from the very beginning.

Once in Upper Austria, the glowing Christmas symbol is passed on from person to person on Christmas Eve. With the help of many organizations (Austrian Federal Railways, Red Cross, Samariterbund, fire brigades, Austrian scouts and many more), the ORF Peace Light is distributed from Upper Austria to the whole world.

In recent years it has also been handed over to three popes, many heads of state and political leaders.

history

The starting point in 1986 was the suggestion of a listener to thank all donors who supported the ORF “Licht ins Dunkel” campaign on Christmas Eve for the benefit of children with disabilities with a light. Since the birth of Christ is celebrated in Bethlehem at Christmas, the then head of entertainment at ORF Upper Austria, Helmut Obermayr , came up with the idea of bringing this light directly from Bethlehem. The “ORF Peace Light from Bethlehem ” was enthusiastically received by the Austrian population in its first year.

In 1989, the scouts as an international peace movement began to bring the "ORF peace light" to neighboring countries on the initiative of the scout leader Herbert Grünwald.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the peace light was welcomed by 10,000 people in the main square of the South Bohemian city of Budweis as a symbol of the new neighborhood and solidarity. It also shone on the reopened " Berlin Wall ", on " Ground Zero " in New York and on the UN soldiers on the Golan Heights .

The ORF Friedenslicht was presented several times to representatives of the European Commission as part of a ceremony by the state of Upper Austria in Brussels .

Since 2009, the ORF Friedenslicht has also been an integral part of the ARD / ORF Eurovision program “The Advent Festival of 100,000 Lights” with Florian Silbereisen , where it is presented to an audience of millions.

Conscious symbol of peace in Europe and the world

The handing over of the light of peace to high political and religious dignitaries as well as to international organizations and royal houses is already an integral part of the Christmas custom. Received it among others:

Handover of the ORF peace light to the Belgian royal family by the peace light child Niklas Lehner together with the governor of Upper Austria Thomas Stelzer (2nd from right) and Günther Hartl (1st from right), ORF Upper Austria

Pope Francis
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope John Paul II
Archbishop Franz Cardinal König
Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn
EU Commission President Romano Prodi
EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl
President Mikhail Gorbachev
President Vaclav Havel
King Hussein of Jordan
King Philippe of Belgium with the Belgian royal family

Implementation in individual countries

Austria

The ORF-Light of Peace meets with the aircraft in the Austrian Airlines from Israel at Vienna airport or airport Linz a. In a broadcast service on the day before the third Sunday in Advent in Vienna , it is passed on to scout delegations from Europe . In Austria itself it will be distributed on December 24th in all ORF regional studios, at many train stations , Red Cross and Samaritan Federation offices , churches, fire brigades , by the scouts and by the youth fire brigade.

Since Austria joined the European Union (1995), the Austrian MEP Paul Rübig has brought this tradition to the European Parliament in Strasbourg , where the custom is celebrated with many citizens every year.

The light of peace is also presented to the Federal President year after year. So far, the presidents got it

Germany

In Germany , the campaign is carried out by the Boy Scout Associations, the Association of Scouts and Scouts , the German Scout Association of St. Georg , the St. Georg Scout Association , the Association of Christian Scouts and the Association of German Old Scouts Guilds . The Friedenslicht is picked up by train from Vienna and then distributed in over 100 cities across Germany. In many cities, special devotions and services take place on this occasion . Here the distribution is often taken over by other, smaller scout associations, which are not official organizers, but contribute to the general awareness of the campaign and the continuation of the idea. In addition to these central broadcast celebrations, which are often organized jointly by several groups, the light of peace is often passed on to other local religions.

In addition, many groups bring the light of peace to social institutions. In addition to kindergartens and schools, hospitals and old people's homes are visited and the peace light is also brought to the people there. This wish for peace is also linked to the realization that those people in hospitals and old people's homes are not or will not be forgotten. In some cities and communities the last committee meetings before Christmas are attended with the peace light and thus peace is wished on behalf of the city or community.

Switzerland

In Switzerland , the registered association "Friedenslicht Schweiz", active all year round, with its sponsor Stiftung Denk an mich - Holidays and Leisure Time for the Disabled, a solidarity campaign by SRF, has been responsible for distributing light in the country since 1986. Vreni and Walter Stählin from Adlikon near Zurich are considered to be peace light pioneers . Every year, under the protection of the Adliswil youth watch, the light of peace travels the last few kilometers with the Arche extra ship to the Bürkliplatz pier in Zurich City, in the lake basin at the gateway to Zurich's old town. An approximately one and a half hour, contemplative celebration with music and words, organized by the Association Friedenslicht Schweiz, gets the 200 national peace light bases and the countless passers-by in the mood for the imminent arrival of the light from Bethlehem. When it gets dark, the peace light fire sculpture is first lit by a handicapped person together with a prominent person. Then the peace light is passed on from hand to hand and then travels in a star shape in all directions. There will be various kinds of peace light events there in the following days. There is also a particularly active, own scout group called Friedenslicht Schweiz .

Italy

The light of peace for Italy has been picked up in Linz by the fire brigade from Trentino since 1988 . On the fourth weekend in Advent, the light has been brought to the larger cities via Trieste by train along the Adriatic coast by the boy scouts for 20 years. For the South Tyrolean villages, the light of peace is given regularly on December 23rd in the parish church on the Brenner Pass by scouts from the Innsbruck X PTA group and the scouts from Zirl to the South Tyrolean scouts.

France

Since 2003, the Light of Peace in France has been brought to Paris every year by the Scouts et Guides de France and Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs Unionistes de France and from there distributed throughout France.

Poland

In Poland , the light of peace was taken over by the Polish Scout Association (ZHP) in Vienna until joining the EU. Since accession, the delegations from Slovakia and Poland have been taking turns in the light. When the Slovaks pick up the light, they bring it to the Slovak-Polish border in Łysa Polana .

Slovakia

Slovakia also takes part in the peace light campaign. Scouts take over the light in Vienna and distribute it throughout the country. The light of peace has also been lit in the observatory on the Lomnitzer Spitze since 2003.

Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia

The light distributed in Poland is also passed on to the neighboring countries to the east, specifically to Lithuania , Belarus , Ukraine and Russia .

Canada

An Austrian Airlines flight brings the ORF Peace Light to New York every year, from where the boy scouts take it to all states after a celebration at JFK Airport . In Canada , Austrian and Canadian scouts brought the light together for the first time in 2009 to Ottawa , where it was distributed across the entire country. In the countries of South America such as Argentina and Brazil , the meanwhile worldwide Christmas custom from Upper Austria is enjoying increasing popularity.