One of one hundred doves released at the memorial event

The United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Vienna planned and organized a commemorative event in cooperation with the Vienna non-governmental organization (NGO) Committee on Peace to mark the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and to advocate nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. The event took place on 7 August 2009, at the Vienna International Centre.

UNIS Vienna's Director, Maher Nasser, opened the ceremony and reflected on this day of remembrance. He expressed the hope for a nuclear weapon free world and the challenge to make the world safer for future generations. He also referred to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons and the United Nations “WMD – We must disarm” campaign, a 100 day-countdown campaign focusing on disarmament and non-proliferation, which leads up to the International Day of Peace on 21 September.

The Spokesperson of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Annika Thunborg, described her strong personal impression of visiting Nagasaki and being guided around the city by a Hibakusha, a survior of the bombings. She stressed that "the stories from those who died and from those who survived the nightmares of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki must be kept alive in our minds and actions," adding that "the CTBT will help build a stable framework to ensure that nuclear explosions not only will become but will remain a matter of the past."

From the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tariq Rauf, the Head of Verification and Security Policy Coordination, spoke of the Agency's role in ensuring that former U.S. President Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" vision outlined in his 1953 speech to the United Nations is followed through. “Through its safeguards and verification system the IAEA has done a great deal of work to help stem the tide of nuclear proliferation, while ensuring that the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy are made available to all those who want them", he said.

Hiroshima’s Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba and a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing Kazuo Soda addressed the event through a video and a written message and expressed their wish for the abolition of nuclear weapons.  The Deputy Head of the Austrian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, Stephan Heisler and a local councillor in Vienna Norbert Scheed also spoke at the event about promoting peace and disarmament.

In the closing statement the Chairperson of the Vienna NGO Committee on Peace, Klaus Renoldner, on behalf of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War spoke of the threat of nuclear weapons to mankind and how his organization strived to prevent nuclear war.

More than 150 people including UN staff of the Vienna-based organizations watched the release of 100 white peace doves at the Vienna International Centre as part of a memorial event to remember the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 and to advocate non-proliferation and disarmament. 300 origami, the Japanese symbol for peace, which were folded by Viennese school children were distributed to the visitors and UN staff in the Memorial Plaza.

Finally the audience were invited to ring the Peace Bell which stands in the Memorial Plaza at the Vienna International Centre.

Children make buttons and learn about global food issues at summer festivals in Vienna

Thousands of Vienna school children and their parents celebrated the start of the summer holiday on 5 July 2009 by attending the City of Vienna's annual kick-off festival for the summer school programme "Ferienspiel." The programme that runs all summer (6 July - 4 September) offers a chance for children ages 6 - 13 to participate in a wide range of free or nearly free activities, from visiting museums and public places or trying out a new sport to attending a wide range of workshops, festivals and cultural events; there is something here for everybody. The Vienna International Centre has been a firm fixture in the "Ferienspiel" programme for years, with the Vienna Visitors Service offering special guided tours for children Monday - Friday.

This year the "Ferienspiel" tours focus on The Right to Food, and teach children about nutrition, food security and multicultural diversity in an interactive and playful way. In a game developed by Vienna tour guides specifically for this programme, children are divided into country teams and have the chance to grow, buy, sell and trade food. Every so often an 'action' card shakes things up a bit, signaling a drought or crop failure, or a successful application for a micro-finance scheme. Older children (10-13) will also have a chance to reflect on the impacts of the financial crisis on development and food distribution around the world, as well as on the effects of climate change on food security. During the game, the children learn about the different types of food that are consumed in different parts of the world, and also how much 1 dollar or 1 Euro will buy in different countries. Guided and supported by the tour guides, they reflect on issues of equal distribution and development in the world.

The game was first tested during the semester break in February and was very popular with the young tour participants, and their parents and teachers. "It's great to see the children catch on so quickly to the intricacies of global food distribution and development issues," says Karin Orantes, one of the guides who developed the game. Her co-developer Grace Namwandi adds: "Some of the children are very willing to share and help the teams that start off with fewer resources, whereas others get quite competitive and just want to keep their money and crops. Just like in the real world!"

At the kick-off festival "Startfest," children had the opportunity to win a voucher for a free guided tour by participating in one of several food-related craft activities or by simply have fun making buttons. "I like to make buttons of all the flags" said Tobias (age 6). The kids were very excited to take part in the activities and were looking forward to visiting the United Nations for the Ferienspiel. Katharina (age 8) noted, "I wish food never ran out so we could share with everyone."

Ferienspiel tours for children aged 6 - 10 run every Monday - Friday from 9:30 a.m. and every Monday and Tuesday at 3 p.m. for children aged 10 - 13. The tours last 1.5 hours and admission is 1 Euro per child. The tours can also be arranged in English or other languages upon request.

Austrian Minister of Environment Niki Berlakovich opens the symposium

Inspired by the theme “Your planet needs you -- UNite to Combat Climate Change,” the Austrian Ministry of Environment, in co-operation with the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Vienna Office, as well as private sector partners, held a public symposium at the Vienna International Centre on the occasion of World Environment Day on 5 June 2009.

Austrian Minister for the Environment Niki Berlakovich opened the symposium. “I am pleased that we have partners from so may different sectors on board to mark World Environment Day this year. Business, environmental organizations, science and politics are all joining forces to contribute. Together, we will achieve more,” said Mr. Berlakovich.

In his video message to the symposium, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner welcomed the diverse range of partners mobilizing to hold the event: “This broad support shows how important a joint approach is, involving Member States, the United Nations family, the private sector and civil society, to move forward the fight against climate change and the idea of a green economy”.

Well-known scientists, civil society activists, business representatives, experts and journalists explored the effects of climate change on Austria.

Political scientist Professor Peter Filzmaier presented public opinion trends on environmental issues, critically questioning whether opinion polls identifying climate change as the top concern of European Union and Austrian citizens at a rate of up to 96 per cent reflected real personal commitment by individuals or merely showed a public display of consensus on an "uncontroversial" issue with few concrete consequences: “Are we in favour of protecting the environment only as long as it does not cost anything?” Professor Filzmaier asked, initiating a lively debate.

Separate workshops explored the issue of climate change in connection with social values, youth, the media, tourism and the economy, and the results of the separate debates were shared in a closing panel discussion, outlining ideas for a sustainable future.

Aside from the symposium at the United Nations headquarters in Vienna, over 50 events are being held on the occasion of World Environment Day in Austria this year, including a tree planting ceremony held by the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations (Vienna), on the occasion of Mexico hosting the international World Environment Day celebrations this year.

Forty-two participants from eight European countries pose in front of the Vienna International Centre prior to their guided tour and the discussion forum on "Living with Disabilities"

To mark the first anniversary of the coming into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and as part of the European Trauma Cultural Days 2009, the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Vienna hosted a discussion forum with a group of persons with brain injuries, their families and caregivers, in cooperation with the Austrian Association of Trauma and Brain Injured (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Schädel Hirn Trauma -- ÖGSHT) on 8 May 2009.  Forty-two participants with varying degrees of disabilities from eight European countries came to the Vienna Information Centre for a special guided tour and the discussion forum, in which they were joined by staff members, interns and non-governmental (NGO) representatives. The European Trauma Cultural Days are an annual event designed to bring together patients suffering from brain injuries and their families, to strengthen regional networks, exchange information and views, and improve awareness-raising and lobbying capacities.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and were opened for signature on 30 March 2007. There were 82 signatories to the Convention, 44 signatories to the Optional Protocol, and 1 ratification of the Convention on the first day. This is the highest number of signatories in history to a UN Convention on its opening day. It is the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century and the speed of the signing and ratification process is a testament to the fact that the international community considered such a Convention long overdue.

The Convention entered into force on 3 May 2008, following the 20th ratification.  To date, 139 countries have signed and 53 have ratified the Convention. It is estimated that approximately 10 per cent of the world's population are persons with disabilities and that around 80 per cent of these live in developing countries. The World Bank estimates that 20 per cent of the world's poorest people have some kind of disability and are often marginalized in their own communities, but also seen by those same
communities as the most disadvantaged. Ninety per cent of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school and the global literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as low as 3 per cent (less for women).

The participants at the discussion forum organized by UNIS Vienna all either suffered from the after-effects of a traumatic brain injury, or were family members or caregivers. Many victims of traumatic brain injuries suffer from a range of disabilities affecting concentration and movement that are often not immediately obvious. These 'hidden disabilities' frequently prevent sufferers from actively participating in public life (work, sports, travel, etc.) and can lead to further isolation and marginalization. The Austrian Association of Trauma and Brain Injured is part of BIF -- the European Confederation of Associations of Families, which was founded in 1999 to promote the
interests of brain injured people and improve the assistance which can be given to them as well as their families.

In his welcoming statement, UNIS Vienna Director Maher Nasser spoke of the important milestone that the Convention marked, but that much remained to be done, including in raising awareness among governments, employers, and the general public to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities are fully recognized and protected.  "Persons with disabilities are the world's largest minority with over 10 per cent of the world's population officially considered 'disabled'. The United Nations was established
over 60 years ago to look after and protect the rights and interests of minorities." He also highlighted the vital role of civil society in addressing these important issues.

Several of the participants gave moving personal statements, and reminded all present of the challenges and discrimination they are faced with every day. Dr Nikolaus Steinhoff, representative of the Austrian Association of Trauma and Brain Injured and organizer of the European Trauma Cultural Days, spoke of brain injury and trauma as "the most complex injury of the most complex organ" and outlined the various ways in which patients, as well as their families, struggle with everyday tasks such as getting dressed and shopping, let alone participate in employment, education and leisure activities. As one participant pointed out: "A brain injury completely changes your life from one minute to the next -- your life and that of your surroundings. And remember: it can happen to anyone at any time."

The event was also an eye-opener to able-bodied colleagues who were given the opportunity to see their workplace from a different perspective and notice the many obstacles that are in place, even in the relatively disabled-friendly Vienna Information Centre. The frank and open exchange of stories and views was very much appreciated by all participants. Some of the key points that were raised again and again were issues of access (physical access, but also access to information and access to funding) and the importance of raising awareness and building respect.