Filipino Community Leader in Vienna: How Marizel Rojas Built Bridges Across Continents

As a Filipino community leader in Vienna, Marizel Rojas leads the way she lives—with passion, purpose and presence—turning movement into meaning and service into impact.

Born in Camaligan, Camarines Sur, she trained as a physics teacher in the Philippines, grounded in logic, structure, and clear thinking. Through hard work and perseverance, she secured a position with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna—a milestone that marked a defining moment in her professional and personal life.

Over the 34 years she has lived in Vienna, Marizel has established herself as a dedicated leader in Filipino and international communities. She approaches leadership not as a title, but as action—building networks grounded in trust, collaboration, and shared purpose. Her response to Typhoon Haiyan, the devastating2013 storm that struck the Philippines,

exemplified this philosophy. Despite the distance, she organized a grassroots fundraiser with no mandate, driven solely by urgency and commitment, demonstrating leadership as responsive and results-driven.

Since 2012, Marizel has held multiple leadership roles across civic, cultural and international organizations, including the Bikol Society Austria, Vienna International Centre Club Filipino, Philippine Austrian Cultural and Educational Society, European Network of Filipino Diaspora–Austria, UN Correspondents Association Vienna, UN Women’s Guild and the European Police Association. Her work is often behind the scenes but consistently impactful, connecting people and ideas across borders.

Motherhood has further shaped her approach, providing clarity and purpose. Her daughter remains her greatest inspiration, grounding her ambition and reinforcing the value of community.

Marizel’s work continues to link communities across continents, grounded in the simple truth that commitment endures beyond boundaries