30th Diplomatic Ball
at the Diplomatische Akademie Wien -
A Record-Breaking Night of Diplomacy, Culture, and Charity
On Saturday, 12 April 2025, the students of the Diplomatische Akademie Wien hosted the 30th edition of the Academy's traditional Diplomatic Ball. More than 500 guests, including ambassadors, diplomats, business leaders and students, came together at the Academy's historic premises for an evening dedicated to diplomacy, culture and charitable giving.
The Ball took place against the backdrop of two important anniversaries: 270 years since the founding of the Oriental Academy and 60 years since the establishment of the modern Diplomatic Academy.
But most notably, this year’s Ball made a real difference. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our guests, sponsors, and supporters, we are proud to announce that we raised €15,000 in support of Autonome Österreichische Frauenhäuser (AÖF), Austria’s leading network of women’s shelters. These funds will directly contribute to AÖF’s vital mission of protecting and empowering women and children affected by domestic violence through emergency shelters, a 24/7 hotline, and preventative programs.
Representatives from AÖF, including Managing Director Maja Markanović-Riedl, attended the Ball and personally expressed their gratitude. They underscored how such contributions are critical to sustaining and expanding services for survivors, and emphasized the growing importance of prevention work in addressing gender-based violence.
The evening was filled with unforgettable highlights: the elegant debutantes’ entrance choreographed by Tanzschule Elmayer, the vibrant atmosphere of dancing and networking across the beautifully decorated halls of the Academy, and a soul-stirring live performance by acclaimed musical artist Anna Volovitch, which stood out as a cultural highlight of the night.
Guests also took part in a charity tombola, featuring over 200 generous prizes donated by partners such as Imperial Hotel Vienna, Perlenatelier, Palais Interiors, Günsberg Parfumeries, the Belvedere Museum, and Haardt & Krüger.
The donation total of €15,000 was officially announced on 6 May 2025 during a public panel discussion hosted by Students Advocating Gender Equality (SAGE) and the Ball Committee at the Academy. The event, titled "The Architecture of Inequality: Violence Against Women and Global Systems," convened experts from AÖF, UN Women Austria, UNODC, and UNIDO to explore how systemic inequality fuels gender-based violence, and what must be done to dismantle these structures.
This outstanding fundraising achievement is a testament to what the Diplomatic Academy community can accomplish when diplomacy meets compassion.
The Ball Committee, led by President Katja Palaszewski and Vice-President Damian Slobbe, with core team members Carina Jagersberger, Ekaterina Glagoleva, Kathrin Spielvogel, Michael Knotz, Sebastian Morscher, and Nikolas Neubauer, extends heartfelt thanks to all guests, sponsors, and volunteers. Your contributions enabled this incredible success, and together we have helped strengthen a critical lifeline for women and children in need.
For further information, please contact:
Ball Committee
Favoritenstraße 15a, 1040 Vienna, Austria
Email: ball@da-vienna.at
More photos of the event are available at www.da-vienna.ac.at/ball.
Last update: 8 May 2025