GREETINGS FROM THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS


I wish to express my deepest appreciation for the event of the traditional initiative which will establish an effective experience of reciprocal cultural exchange. 1 also express my best wishes, for the success of the event, to all the organisers and collaborators and add a particular and warn greeting to all the young participants.

Renato Ruggiero


GREETINGS FROM THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE QUIRINALE


As the Austrian Ambassador in Italy 1 am particularly happy that, at Stresa, as from many years the Grand Ball of the Debutantes, Vienna on the Lake is organised in respect of the particular tradition of the Viennese Ball.
A heart felt thank you to the organisers for their great commitment, which also reflects the particular friendship between our two countries and peoples. 1 wish , that also this year, all the participants at the Ball have a wonderful evening dancing to the notes of Viennese music.

Alfons M. Kloss


GREETINGS FROM THE AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE 


As the new Austrian Ambassador to the Holy See it is with great pleasure that 1 have discovered that in Italy they dance to the notes of Viennese music. 1 send a heart felt wish to the Grand Ball of the Debutantes, Vienna on the Lake, for a great success which will certainly strengthen the close bond which already exists between Italy and Austria

Walter Greinert


 

GREETINGS FROM THE MAYOR OF VIENNA


It is extremely important for us to maintain alive this precious tradition in Europe and we are, therefore, particularly proud that this event, of such prestige, bears the name of Vienna on the Lake, because of its extraordinary uniqueness.
We take pride in the fact that the yearly Viennese Ball, famous in the whole world, has such a wide following in Italy.
Best wishes, therefore to all the participants at the event and to the organisers good luck for always greater successes.

Michael Häupl


GREETINGS FROM THE MAYOR OF STRESA


1 am honoured to present a greeting in the name of all the Stresiani, from the Council Administration, together with my own. 1 wish to express my congratulations for the way in which this splendid initiative, now recognised at an international level, is carried out.
Your choice to consider Stresa and its charming surroundings as the cradle for the dream of these young girls, who will crown, with the Debutantes Ball, what they have always desired, fills us with pride and we hope that the commendable initiative will continue indefinitely.
A sincere thank you to the organising committee, we will always be at your complete disposal.
My best wishes for an unforgettable sojourn

Giorgio Diverio


GREETINGS FROM THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE


Saturday 10 November 2001 the seventh edition of Vienna on the Lake will take place, the Grand Ball of the Debutantes is the most prestigious in Italy and one of the most important in Europe. The moment has arrived for the girls to wear their splendid white dresses to fulfil a dream, cultivated since childhood, always exciting and touching which resists the passing of time and fashion.

It could appear in harsh contrast, in a moment so delicate and tragic, a difficult situation in which anxiety replaces serenity and the ghosts of the war dwell in our thoughts, to think of the rustle of a splendid and ethereal white dress, the lights, the crystals, the mirrors that multiply endlessly the elegance of a fairytale night. Why renounce such a romantic evening, why renounce dreams even in the darkest moments? To renounce would mean defeat, those who want to throw dreams into darkness would achieve the aim. Humanity would, in fact, be lost without them because they were the dreams in the course of history that pushed humanity forward, they were the dreams, sometimes considered impossible, that brought humanity out of the darkness of the medieval period and continue social and economic progress. Vienna on the Lake has never been and never will be only and simply a party. Vienna on the Lake is the realisation of a dream and as long as there will be girls who dream of a night like this, made yes of elegance but also of serenity, care-freeness and solidarity, there will be the hope that everything will not be reduced to a question of microchip and electronics, but that there will also be space for sentiments and a serene future. Exaggerated? Perhaps, but those who know the real spirit of this event, who are able to read carefully the thoughts of these girls, knows that we are not far from the truth.

The organising committee, therefore, presents kind regards and thanks all the authorities, civil and military, Austrian and Italian, who have adhered and who have for years confirmed their faith in the event. The committee also thanks all the participants to the event who, thanks to their constant and lively participation, guarantee its success every year.

A particular thank you to those who have contributed economically for the realisation of this evening, for having overcome the diffidence and indifference that often accompanies initiatives like this.

Finally, for having accepted our collaboration, a thank you to Fondazione Idea, who for years has been engaged in the struggle against depression and anxiety, an obscure and melancholic illness that appears imperiously in the limelight of the news columns. A thank you also to 11 Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, that for centuries devotes assistance to the weak, be they sick, handicapped or elderly. Vienna on the Lake has chosen these two charities because they represent and contain the very soul of Vienna on the Lake, the first is the present, the second tradition and the glorious past, but both are projected into the future, because in our life there is still a lot to give and to do.

To the welcome guests, to the twenty four splendid, beautiful Debutantes, and to the young future officers of our navy we finally present our strongest wish that they continue to dream.