THANKS Summit 2025

is in planning... stay tuned!

THANKS Summit 2024

Available on YouTube with & without subtitles

Ljuba Wangen - Life and social counselor - UKR

"Що найважливіше? Зняти тиск з жінок. Ще й тому, що вони несуть відповідальність за дітей, які підростають".

"What's most important? To take the pressure off women. Also because they are responsible for the children who are growing up."

Ronny Kokert - Martial Arts World Champion, Author, Founder of "Shinergy" AT

"Kämpfen zu können bedeutet, nicht mehr kämpfen zu müssen."

“Being able to fight means not having to fight anymore.”

Edit Schlaffer - Founder & Chair of “Women without Borders”AT

"I think it's time for society to wake up. And to feel this power. To feel that the social capital invested by [single] women in their work—which is taken for granted—is a survival mechanism, so to speak. It's not just a survival mechanism for women in everyday life—it's about the survival of society."

Kat Curtin - Executive Director of "Single Mother by Choice" NY

"I want to thank single mothers for having the courage and fortitude for going down this path because the more people that do it, the more it opens up the choice for other people."

Eliška Kodyšová - CEO of "Aperio" CZE

"Chtěla bych poděkovat svobodným matkám a jejich dětem za to, že jsou tak odolné. Myslím, že se často dostávají do situace, kdy musí překračovat své comfortní zóny a hledat nová řešení v obtížných situacích."

"I want to thank single mothers and their children for being so resilient. I think they are often in a situation where they have to step outside their comfort zone and find new solutions in difficult situations."

Andrea Czak - Founder & Chairwoman of "Fem.a" AT

"First, we must introduce a maintenance guarantee; that's very, very important to lift children out of poverty. Another important demand of ours is that violence by an ex-partner must be taken into account. There must be no joint custody when violence is involved."

Ida Lanbacher - Deputy President of  "South Tyrolean Platform for Single Parents"

"I think it's very important that single parents and their children become increasingly aware of their own history. So that they can understand why the burden they're suddenly carrying is so heavy. Also, to better understand the present and have the strength to fight together for better conditions."

Report from Hungary, HUN

"Inkább nem mondanám el nyilvánosan, hogy az egyedülálló szülők és gyermekeik hogyan boldogulnak Magyarországon. Túl nagyok lehetnek a következmények."

"I would rather not say publicly how single parents and their children are doing in Hungary. The consequences could be too great."

A person from Hungary

Roman Braun - Coach, bestselling author, CEO of “Trinergy” AT

"Was macht Menschen resilient? Drei Dinge: Gutes tun, Dankbarkeit & Meditation."

"What makes people resilient? Three things: doing good, gratitude, and meditation."

THANKS Summit 2021

Klaudia Frieben, Chairwoman of "Austrian Frauenring" AT

„Alleinerzieherinnen tragen ihre Familienpflichten alleine! Deshalb brauchen sie besondere Unterstützung der Politik und Gesellschaft!“

"Single parents bear their family responsibilities alone! That's why they need special support from politics and society!"

Eva Yoo Ri Brussard, Director of "Single SuperMom" NL

"Het is op momenten als deze dat veel alleenstaande moeders zich totaal verloren voelen. Dus ik zou zeggen, laten we onze krachten bundelen en verder gaan!"

"At times like these many single mothers feel completely lost. To this I would say, let's join forces and move forward! “

Ingrid Levavasseur, Founder of "Racines Positives" FR

"C’est la solidarité qui nous unit."

“It is solidarity that unites us.”

Jenny Davidson, CEO of the "Council of Single Mothers and their Children" AU

"Financial hardship is one of the key issues facing single parent families in Australia."

Erich Fenninger, Director of "Volkshilfe" AT

"Who are the true contributors in our country? Those with high incomes and assets? No, it's those who are there for others. Like single parents, who deserve every recognition, but also every support. Maria Stern is a valuable asset to this group, and Volkshilfe is a close ally on many levels."

Paul Lwanga, Executive Director "SPAU" UG

“I started my organization because I grew up in a single parent family where I used to see my mother struggling for maintenance.”

Marie Lwanga, Volunteer "SPAU" UG

"The situation was really difficult. So one of the things that we did as Single Parents Association was that food aid was provided to families, things like soap, sugar..."

Maria Rösslhumer, Managing Director "AÖF" AT

„Je besser Alleinerzieherinnen abgesichert werden, umso mehr haben Frauen den Mut, sich von Gewalttätern zu trennen.“

“The better single parents are protected, the more women will have the courage to separate from violent offenders.”

Iva Jovovic, Executive Director of "Udruga Let" EN

"Obitelj je obitelj!!!“

"Family is family!!!"

Anna Parr, Secretary General "Caritas" AT

"Single parents are managers and true organizational talents. They make countless decisions every day and bear a great deal of responsibility. They are strong, partly because they have to be strong. They need our support. We can ensure that they don't feel alone. We must do so."

Gisella Bassanini, President of "Small Families" IT

“Qualunque sia la sua composizione, ogni nucleo familiare ha dignità di Famiglia.”

“However composed, every family unit has the dignity of a family.”

Sarah Zeller, Chairwoman "JUNO" AT

"Alleinerziehende und ihre Kinder sind Familien, die Zwei-Eltern Familien gleichgestellt gehören."

"Single parents and their children are families that deserve equal status to two-parent families."

Birgit Uhlworm, Managing Director of "SHIA" Brandenburg DE

"Single parents are competent, reliable, committed, broad
positioned, flexible and resilient - an economic treasure,
which will be permanently lost to society without appropriate support.
That's why single parents need a lobby and must be taken into account by politicians and administrators."

Julia Stadlbauer, Board Member "ÖPA" AT

"Since the coronavirus crisis, single parents have been under even greater strain than before, and their resources have now been depleted. The ongoing struggle of single parents against poverty, social isolation, illness, and excessive demands can only be ended at a societal level. A good life is built on fair social conditions."