OMV, the leading energy group in the European growth belt, supports projects in Austria and the countries in which it operates with its education initiative OMV Move & Help.

In 2010, Move & Help is again dedicated to the promotion of reading, for there continues to be a high percentage of functional illiteracy and reading difficulty around the world. Amongst other things, OMV is launching the OMV Move & Help Reading World Record attempt this year, which takes place on September 26, 2010 at the Wiener Prater.

This will involve adults reading a text to children simultaneously for at least three minutes. On the occasion of the attempt, OMV will be holding a draw for eleven times one weekend in Vienna. Tickets are available at all OMV filling stations in eleven countries from August 23, 2010.

"Win a trip to OMV's Move & Help Reading World Record attempt in Vienna and be part of the world’s biggest reading session" from August 23, 2010 at every OMV filling station in Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Germany, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

OMV thus once again sends a signal to raise public awareness of functional illiteracy and reading difficulty at home and abroad.

Issues which are not only present in countries with limited education, but also in Austria: studies show that there are some 600,000 functional illiterates throughout Austria who cannot obtain a sufficient grasp of the content of a text and are thus severely restricted in both their professional and private life.

According to UNESCO, the number of illiterates around the world in 2008 was about 776 million people, two thirds of whom are women.

"Reading and understanding what you read is not only important for a career, but also an essential part of being fully integrated in society. Therefore, we have also placed emphasis on the promotion of reading this year within the framework of our international education initiative, Move & Help," said OMV's CEO Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer.

From August 23, 2010, tickets are available at every OMV filling station in eleven European countries for the 'Win a trip to OMV's Move & Help Reading World Record in Vienna' draw.

A weekend for two in the Austrian capital including return journey, two nights – from September 24 to 26, 2010 – in the Marriott Hotel and participation in the OMV Move & Help Reading World Record attempt, 'The biggest reading session in the world', on September 26, 2010 will be drawn in each country. Registration closes on September 12, 2010.

OMV's filling station campaign to promote reading will also continue after the reading world record attempt: from October 2010, complimentary OMV Move & Help bookmarks with various motifs are available at all OMV filling stations at home and abroad.

OMV Move & Help was established in 2004. It aims to promote education projects in Austria and the other countries in which OMV operates. Focus is placed on topical and socially relevant issues. This initiative is implemented in cooperation with leading NGOs. In 2010, these consist of Caritas, the Austrian Youth Book Club and UNESCO.