The foundation was established by two Austrian companies and one natural person on January 10, 2018 with an aim to fulfill exclusively non-profit and charitable objectives.
ACCORDING TO ITS STATUTES ITS OBJECTIVES ARE:
THE FOUNDATION MAY SUPPORT THE BELOW LISTED BENEFICIARIES:
We are a proud Partner of Fundacja DOGIQ with its registered office in Katowice, Poland. The aim of this buoyant organization is to train assistance dogs whose skills compensate for dysfunctions in people with physical disabilities and to regularly improve their skills during workshops held once a year. This year Treffpunkt joined and supported Xth Gdynia Workshops for People with Disabilities and their Assistant Dogs.
More about DOGIQ: http://www.dogiq.org.pl/
We are happy to support young and talented Polish actress and dancer, Rose Klekotko. Rose is a student in the Theatre Lab Masters programme at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, which is considered one of the best drama schools in the world. She is among few students selected from a few thousand candidates to participate in this prestigious course. We hope it’s a beginning of Rose’s astonishing, worldwide career.
Photo: Radosław Świątkowski
We are proud to announce that Rose has completed the MA Theatre Lab Programme.
Congratulations, Rose!
We are delighted to be able to support young and talented Polish student Anna Grzelak. Anna is a student at United World College East Africa (UWCEA) at the Moshi Campus Diploma faculty, which is a two-year program scheduled to end in May 2024. In 2019 the school became a member of the United World Colleges movement, as the 18th college, and the second in Africa. The mission of the UWC movement and of the school is to “make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future”. Anna is one of few students selected from a few thousand candidates to take part in this prestigious course. Anna’s dream is to open her own maternity clinic and we are proud to support Anna in making her dream a reality.
It was with great pleasure that we provided assistance to the Viennese sports club FC 1980 WIEN. The club works with young people, most of whom come from immigrant backgrounds, are poor and have no relevant support network to help them deal with their difficulties. That is why FC 1980 Wien undertakes all sorts of activities, not just sports, to awaken hope in those young people and enable them to fulfill their dreams.
More about FC 1980 Wien: 1980wien.wsf.at
With the help of the Treffpunkt Privatstiftung foundation, we started a gliding expedition over the Karakorum We used the funds we obtained for technical preparations and to cover costs of obtaining permits.
The Karakorum, a mountainous area within Pakistan separated from the Himalayas by the Indus River valley, was the obvious destination for Sebastian Kawa’s glider expedition. Gliders make efficient use of the forces of nature, uplifting air currents to explore hard-to-reach terrain. There is no greater challenge than soaring over 8,000m high peaks such as K2, Gasherbrum and Broad Peak in the Karakorum. After an expedition to Nepal in 2013/14, Sebastian assessed that the Karakorum should be a much better place to fly gliders. This area is separated from the influx of moisture on virtually all sides by huge mountain barriers. In the central part it is a desert area over which the weather is very good. In a very hot and dry climate, the bases of the cumulus clouds reach heights of between 5,000 and 8,000 meters and thus reach above most of the peaks in the area. This is unprecedented experience for glider pilots in the world and this allows for efficient flights over the mountains. Before the expedition, these were just climate estimates and predictions of the numerical weather forecast but fortunately the predictions came true. The Karakorum is a very good place to fly.
Figure 1: Despite monsoon the cloud cover was still high enough to fly above mountains.
Before the expedition, these were just climate estimates and predictions of the numerical weather forecast but fortunately the predictions came true. The Karakorum is a very good place to fly.
Figure 2: Indus River draws glacier’s water through cold desert dunes in Skardu valley.
Many pilots from Europe, Australia, and South America were interested in the expedition. However, due to difficulties in obtaining flight permits, the fact that the expedition was during the summer gliding season in the northern hemisphere and the timing of international competitions, only few finally decided to take their time: Mr Jens Kroeger, Krzysztof Strama, Sebastian Kot Lampart, Przemysław Janusz, Radosław Jeziak, Marcin Polar and Sebastian Kawa. The team that travelled by car from Poland to Pakistan included Sławomir Makaruk and Sebastian Kawa. Sebastian Kawa had to cancel participation in the World Championships because, unfortunately, due to delays in obtaining permits, the expedition clash with the competition in Texas. For the same reason It was too late for sea shipment. There were no other options left but to drive from Europe to Pakistan by 8700km road. This was the fastest and possible because the route through Turkey, Iran and most of Pakistan is on ordinary roads, mostly motorways. The most dangerous and difficult was the last part via Beluhistan where a dessert part is convoyed and assisted by armed troops. Also the Karakoroum Highway, a stretch from Islamabad to Skardu crossing in huge mountains is a goal for outlanders so no wonders it was especially difficult with a huge trailer and precious load. Weather forecasts and statistics showed that the best time to fly in the Karakorum was late June and early July. So the expedition participants tried to make it on time. Unfortunately, due to problems at the Iranian border, the crossing was prolonged. They finally arrived on the 2nd of July, but the weather despite monsoon season was still good.
Figure 3: Skardu Airport has three huge runways and it is necessary for safe operations in hot and thin air.
A commercial airport under military management in Skardu was chosen as the base for flights in Pakistan. This airport has as many as three runways, the largest of which is almost 3700m long. The other two are out of service due to being covered by sand dunes. The airport is 2,300m above sea level in the Indus River valley. The high altitude and temperature made it difficult for the gliding team. Glider hardly climbed on its own engine. The practical ceiling of this glider is only 3000m and at 4000m the engine stops working. This was expected. Therefore, the team was equipped with a tow rope pulled by the car. Take-offs were assisted in this way. The take-off resembled the take-off behind the winch with the glider’s engine running. This procedure had been practiced many times before at Aeroclub Bielsko- Biała.
Figure 4: ASH 25Mi oned by Jens Kroeger for the second time after Himalaya served well for extreme flying.Jens and Radek Jeziak flew to Skardu bringing aloso a spare parts for a trailer.
It turned out that the Karakorum region lived up to expectations. The difficulty was taking off and getting out of the valley over the first peaks, which were immediately higher than the highest peak in Europe. Above them, however, it was already safe to gain altitude and we flew about 1,000 to 2,000m above most of the mountains. Only a few peaks above 7000m protruded from the massif, which were usually above the range of thermal lifts under the cumuli. These giants were possible to navigate around thanks to the altitude reserve. Flights proved also that the southern part of the Karakorum, between the Shyok River, the Indus and the Baltoro Glacier, was the best area for flying. The least cloud cover made it possible to fly safely and it provided good lifts. The Shyok valley itself always served as a good escape way back to the Skardu valley in case of any trouble. Along the river there were sand dunes and gravel banks that made also an emergency landing possible. At the very mouth of this valley into the Skardu valley is the Sarfaranga desert, much of which is an airstrip for paragliders and this also could be used. In contrast, the Baltoro Valley was filled with glacier raising 4500m msl. at key mountains, so despite not landable it also was questionable to access by any helicopter rescue. Down the valley, bottom and head moraines of old glaciationsconsisting also do not allow landing. This area is most frequently visited by paragliding expeditions. It allows taking off from small spots on adjacent slopes and a parachute-like point landings. But this region is also not favourable for flying due to the worse weather. Flying in the south, e.g. in the Hushe valley, for glider pilots was much easier to climb and then jump the Baltoro valley via the passes near Masherbrum. During gliding expedition, there were conditions with the cloud streets and energy lines leading directly to K2. On the other hand, often good weather in the south was bordered by cloudy skies over Baltoro.
The ultimate goal of the expedition was, of course, to perform clean engineless flight by the forces of nature over the summit of K2 and other eight-thousand-meter peaks. Sebastian Kawa expected that this would only be possible during strong winds using the phenomena of wave and foehn. And such conditions happened on 20 July during the second flight made in Skardu. The crew, Kawa and Lampart, found a wave behind the Masherbrum mountain range. They then ascended to 9200m above sea level and flew to the summit of K2 above the clouds. On this day, the Jet Stream was over the Karakorum and produced winds of 105k/h. It was also the last day on which the Jet Stream occurred. Therefore, the team was very lucky.
In the following days, a monsoon moved over the Karakorum, which was expected. However, the high barriers of the mountains around caused the air masses to become drier. Passing over these mountains and over Skardu, only increased cloudiness without heavy rainfall arrived. This was beneficial for the pilots. Thicker convective clouds, snowfall and a few showers was not a show stopper because the problematic weather did not occur over the whole area at the same time and could be avoided. Precipitation in the area is very low in summer.
Figure 5: Luckily the cloud cover and wind was right to make this flight possible.
The expedition had to end rather abruptly due to the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The Pakistani air force revoked the permission to fly, so in the end only 8 days were flown. Five pilots , Sławomir plus three people from Pakistan flew. In order to familiarize with gliding specific we could offer a seat on flight for the Skardu air traffic controller, a representative from the agency helping to organize permits and Mrs Iqbal from the tourist agency who helped evacuate our sick colleague. Participants met and gave presentations on gliding at the local Gilgit Baltistan University, at a meeting in the offices with the commissioners of Skardu and Shigar, at the Pakistani embassy in Warsaw, at a meeting at the Quadri military base in Skardu and with the Minister of Tourism Development. Participants met with the Chief Minister of the Gilgit Baltistan Management Board and the Commander of the Pakistan northern area. The Minister of Tourism, as well as many local politicians and officials, were interested in hosting gliders in Skardu again. They commissioned a ‘wish list’ of what should happen to bring this kind of sport and tourism activity to Skardu in Pakistan in the future which was provided by expedition already.
The feat of flying over K2 in a glider was widely covered in the media across Pakistan and the promotion of the sport was huge. It was met with a very high level of interest from the locals. The way back to Europe was very difficult due to Iran raising it’s military readiness but it is a matter for another story in the future.
A lot of good quality footage was shot during the expedition, the preparations and the journey to the site. A film telling the story of the expedition is planned. It should be summarised that the Karakorum, in terms of terrain and weather, is a very good place for gliding and it would be worthwh to return here in other seasons as well, to check the conditions when the winds are stronger. The expedition also showed the potential of gliding. It showcased the sport in a country where it is completely unknown.
Figure 6: Conditions like this with a huge height margin over the peaks are a dream for the glider pilots.
Sebastian Kawa, Aerokub Bielsko-Biala and the other participants in the expedition would like to thank Treffpunkt Privatstifftung Foundation for their help in organising the expedition.
Marcin Gorazda
Marcin Gorazda. Founder, partner and member of the management board of Gorazda, Świstuń, Wątroba i Partnerzy law firm operating in Cracow, Poland. He is an attorney at law and a member of the Polish Bar Association. He graduated from Jagiellonian University in Cracow and passed the state judge’s exam. He is an author of several publications on real estate and copyright law and a popular lecturer in training courses for managers on copyright and software law. He specializes in copyright and software law, company law, administrative and tax law. He holds a Ph.D. degree in philosophy.
Wolfgang Zronek
Wolfgang Zronek, Ph. D., LL.M.. Independent tax consultant since 1989, previously working in the Vienesse federal tax office as an inspector. He gained wide knowledge in the financial sector during legal studies and LLM studies in the field of international tax law at universities in Vienna. Apart from the academic activity as a teacher, he is also focused on managing and auditing various business entities and conducting his own tax advisory practice. He is also concerned with the charity and cooperates with varied foundations and organizations.
Stefan Malaschofsky
Stefan Malaschofsky. Tax advisor and certified auditor providing financial consultancy services and currently operating in Vienna. Specialist in the scope of business management and also an experienced director and coordinator of cross-border projects. The scope of his interests includes preparing tax strategies, financial consultancy, estate planning and establishing trusts. Moreover, he has been devoted to the charitable activity and has taken part and lead many endeavors related therewith.
Maciej Kurek
Harald Warscher
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Treffpunkt Privatstiftung (gemeinnützige Privatstiftung zur Förderung interkultureller Treffpunkte)
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For more information about statutory goals of Treffpunkt Private Foundation, click here.
Treffpunkt Privatstiftung (gemeinnützige Privatstiftung zur Förderung interkultureller Treffpunkte)
Börseplatz 4
1010 Vienna
Austria
Mail: office@treffpunktprivatstiftung.at
Tel. +43 153 598 22
Handelsgericht Vienna registration number FN 485022 v