Vienna (OTS/RK) – This year too, the city of Vienna donated a 4m high Christmas tree to the employees of the United Nations, a sign of appreciation and good cooperation. State Parliament President Ernst Woller attended the lighting ceremony of the tree, which was re-erected in the Rotunda, the heart of the Vienna International Center.
For several years now, the Christmas tree decorations have been lovingly designed by the children of the Kaisermühlen educational district. This year, however, all educational districts in the city of Vienna had the opportunity to take part in the project. 35,000 to 40,000 children from all over Vienna expressed their wishes in around 80 embassies under the motto “Please help me to find my voice and a way for it to be heard!” (Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: The child’s right to be heard , Right to Participation, Article 13: Right to Freedom of Expression and Information).
Vienna State Parliament President Ernst Woller addressed greetings to the UN employees present, as did UNIS Director Martin Nesirky and Ambassador Gabriela Sellner, Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations in Vienna. “Children’s wishes must always be heard, not just at Christmas. Children have the right to be heard, seen and taken seriously. They are our hope and our future,” said Woller in his speech.
Afterwards, the children from the VIC kindergarten delighted the audience with a song and a dance of lights. Before the Christmas tree was illuminated, the messages were ceremoniously handed over as letters by the children present to Ambassador Sellner and State Parliament President Woller and attached to the Christmas tree in acrylic balls as decorations.
The liaison office of the City of Vienna in the Vienna International Center – Vienna Service Office
The Vienna Service Office (VSO) is a branch of the City of Vienna directly in the Vienna International Center. It offers employees of UN organizations and their families rapid and individual help with questions of daily life and provides them with information free of charge. You can find more information about the international work of the City of Vienna here
More: https://www.wien.gv.at/english/politics/international/vso/index.html
More: https://www.wien.gv.at/politik/international/uno.html
The United Nations in Vienna
The United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV) was established on January 1, 1980 as the third headquarters of the United Nations, after New York and Geneva (and before Nairobi). In this capacity, it carries out representative and liaison tasks at and with the permanent missions to the United Nations in Vienna, the government of the host country and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in Vienna. In addition to the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), CTBTO, UNIDO, UNODC and many other UN organizations are also based in Vienna
More:
https://www.unov.org/unov/de/un_in_vienna.html
https://www.unvienna.org/unvienna/de/index.htm
The Vienna Educational Grätzl: It takes a Grätzl to raise a child
Learning takes place in a variety of places – including outside of school. In Vienna’s educational districts, the institutions in the district therefore work together. They offer open learning environments and accompany the children and young people through the changing educational phases with shared responsibility – whether kindergarten, school or starting a career.
The educational offerings in Grätzl are coordinated, adapted to needs and made more visible. Continuous collaboration increases the impact of education and contributes to equal opportunities. The Bildungsgrätzl work also has a positive effect on coexistence in the district.
Every educational district is different! The institutions define common goals and priorities and implement cross-institutional activities such as projects and celebrations. The focus is always on children and young people with their interests, needs and potential
Educational districts are initiated by committed educational institutions and operate autonomously. The City of Vienna supports the Bildungsgrätzl work with professional support and appropriate funding.
More: www.wien.gv.at/bildungsgraetzl
Questions & Contact:
Office of the First President of the Vienna State Parliament
Allowed. Renate Schierhuber
Media spokesperson
+43 1 4000 81134
renate.schierhuber@wien.gv.at
www.wien.gv.at
Angelika Wölfer
Municipal Directorate for Europe and International Affairs
+43 1 4000 82577
viennaserviceoffice@wien.gv.at