65 million steps toward a world with zero barriers

Category
News
Author
Date

In a charity challenge organized by Austria’s Rotary Club Wien-Nordost, over 317 participants walked “around the world” in October, raising a travel fund of €40,000 to support the Zero Project in bringing Awardees from the Global South to the Zero Project Conference 2026.

Martin Essl and Andreas Onea receive a symbolic "cheque" from representatives of the Rotary Club Wien-Nordost; in the background the Street Art painting "Inclusion", which was created at the Zero Project Conference in 2023, is visible.

“Around the World in a Month” 

The Zero Project is deeply grateful for the incredible support from the Rotary Club Wien-Nordost and all participants in their “Around the World in a Month” charity challenge. In just one month, 317 people collectively walked over 65 million steps—enough to circle the globe more than once—raising a travel fund of €40,000 to support Awardees from the Global South at the Zero Project Conference 2026 in Vienna.

This initiative shows that small actions—like walking—can create big impact through collaboration. Every step contributed to making it possible for innovators to share their solutions with a global expert audience. 

The funds were generously contributed by a consortium of local sponsors, including Uniqa, Dolphin, Coca-Cola, Selina Photovoltaic, and House of Strauss.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined this journey!