Hemayat

Hemayat is a non-profit association and care centre based in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to interpreter-supported medical, psychological and psychotherapeutic treatment of survivors of torture and war. The name "Hemayat" comes from the Persian and Arabic language sphere and means care or protection. Founded in 1995 in Vienna, the organisation has established itself as a specialised institution for interpreter-supported trauma therapy and treatment of torture and war survivors. The organisation offers a broad spectrum of methods, ranging from psychotherapy, psychiatric care and clinical psychology to body- and art-therapeutic procedures as well as movement-oriented, creative and social-integrative approaches. This allows individually tailored treatment in individual or group settings. Beyond psychological care, an essential aspect of Hemayat's work is the documentation of torture, for example for asylum procedures. According to its own statements, Hemayat has helped more than 20,000 war and torture victims since its founding. In 2025, the organisation cared for 2,006 people, including 300 minors, from 60 countries, delivering a total of 26,787 care hours. As of March 2026, the association reported caring for just over 2,000 clients through 56 psychotherapists, 1,000 of whom are women. The waiting time for a therapy place is one year, with 500 people on the waiting list. Managing director Heiss fears massive budget cuts from the public sector, although an increase in the number of traumatised refugees is expected due to the war in Iran. Hemayat is a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) with an honorary board. The team consists of office staff, therapists, interpreters and interns. The organisation has received numerous awards, including the Solidarity Prize of the Archdiocese of Vienna (2000), the Humanity Prize of the Red Cross (2008), the Alexander Friedmann Prize of the psychosocial centre ESRA (2009), the Karl Renner Prize of the City of Vienna (2010), the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights (2011), the Human Rights Prize of the League for Human Rights (2013) and the MigAward (2020).

Hemayat was founded in 1995 in Vienna as a centre for interpreter-supported trauma-therapeutic care and treatment of torture and war survivors. The name "Hemayat" originates from the Persian and Arabic language sphere and means care or protection. Since its founding, the organisation has established itself as a specialised institution in Vienna for interpreter-supported, trauma-therapeutic care and treatment of torture and war survivors. Over the decades, Hemayat has developed a broad spectrum of methods, ranging from psychotherapy, psychiatric care and clinical psychology to body- and art-therapeutic procedures as well as movement-oriented, creative and social-integrative approaches. This allows individually tailored treatment in individual or group settings. An essential aspect of the work, alongside psychological care, is the documentation of torture, for example for asylum procedures. According to its own statements, Hemayat has helped more than 20,000 war and torture victims since its founding. In 2025, the organisation cared for 2,006 people, including 300 minors, from 60 countries, delivering a total of 26,787 care hours. As of March 2026, the association reported caring for just over 2,000 clients through 56 psychotherapists, 1,000 of whom are women. The waiting time for a therapy place is one year, with 500 people on the waiting list. Managing director Heiss fears massive budget cuts from the public sector, although an increase in the number of traumatised refugees is expected due to the war in Iran. Hemayat is a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) with an honorary board. The team consists of office staff, therapists, interpreters and interns. The organisation has received numerous awards, including the Solidarity Prize of the Archdiocese of Vienna (2000), the Humanity Prize of the Red Cross (2008), the Alexander Friedmann Prize of the psychosocial centre ESRA (2009), the Karl Renner Prize of the City of Vienna (2010), the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights (2011), the Human Rights Prize of the League for Human Rights (2013) and the MigAward (2020).

• 2025

  Cared for 2,006 people, including 300 minors, from 60 countries, delivering 26,787 care hours.

• 2020

  Won the MigAward in the category "Education and Social Affairs".

• 2013

  Awarded the Human Rights Prize of the League for Human Rights.

• 2011

  Awarded the Bruno Kreisky Prize for Services to Human Rights.

• 2010

  Awarded the Karl Renner Prize of the City of Vienna.

• 2009

  Awarded the Alexander Friedmann Prize of the psychosocial centre ESRA.

• 2008

  Awarded the Humanity Prize of the Red Cross.

• 2000

  Awarded the Solidarity Prize of the Archdiocese of Vienna.

• 1995

  Hemayat founded in Vienna as a centre for interpreter-supported trauma-therapeutic care of torture and war survivors.

Specialised non-profit centre for interpreter-supported trauma therapy and treatment of torture and war survivors in Vienna.

Product categories. Interpreter-supported trauma therapy · Psychotherapy (individual and group) · Psychiatric care · Clinical psychology · Body-oriented therapy · Art therapy · Movement-oriented and creative approaches · Social-integrative support · Documentation of torture for asylum procedures

1. 1Home: HEMAYAThemayat.org
2. 2Das Team: HEMAYAThemayat.org
3. 3Downloads: HEMAYAThemayat.org
4. 4Der Verein: HEMAYAThemayat.org
5. 5Hemayatwikidata.org
6. 6Hemayatde.wikipedia.org