A citizens’ council in Austria has distributed 25 million euros from the assets of social activist Marlene Engelhorn to a total of around 80 organizations and associations. The main goal was to reduce inequality in society and give the disadvantaged more opportunities, said project manager Alexandra Wang on Tuesday in Vienna.
The money will go to initiatives that deal with the topics of climate and environment, affordable housing, health and social issues, as well as integration and education. The four biggest beneficiaries, each with donations of over one million euros, are the Austrian Nature Conservation Association (1,632,400), Neunerhaus/Homeless Aid (1,590,000), the Momentum Institute/Association for Social Progress (1,226,000) and Attac Austria (1,070,000). The decision not only distributed money, but also appreciation, respect and many future opportunities, said Angelika Taferner from the Citizens’ Council.
For the “Good Advice for Redistribution”, 50 citizens aged between 16 and 85 were selected as representatives of the Austrian population. They discussed over six weekends how the money could be used in a particularly sensible way.
The 31-year-old Engelhorn has distributed almost all of her assets through the campaign. She says she has kept a sum of money for herself to make the transition to working life easier. She is not worried. She is embedded in a wealthy family and in a very good network. “My privileges will catch me even after the redistribution,” she said at the start of the Citizens’ Council.
Engelhorn has been campaigning for the reintroduction of wealth and inheritance taxes in Austria for years. In the next 30 years alone, 600 billion euros will be inherited tax-free in Austria. The rich must make a much greater contribution to a fairer society than is currently the case, according to her credo.
The Citizens’ Council also wanted to do something for climate protection. One of the beneficiaries is the Austrian Nature Conservation Association. The grants are often not paid in one lump sum, but spread over several years to give the organizations planning security, it was said.
