2015/2016 RAUN final session at 8th Annual ACUNS Vienna Conference:
New Approaches for a Peaceful and More Sustainable World
The 8th annual ACUNS Vienna Conference on “New Approaches for a peaceful and more sustainable world” took place at the Vienna International Center from 13 to 15 January 2016. The conference dealt with a diverse range of topics, including, among others, the “role of the IAEA in global security”, “transparency and confidence building in outer space activities”, “terrorism and non-state actors – the role of the international community“, “inclusive sustainable industrial development for conflict prevention and recovery”, and “women, peace and security”.
In total, more than 300 participants joined the event, including several United Nations officials, diplomats, and academics. The opening speech of the conference was held by the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Ms. Lassina Zerbo. In her speech Ms. Zerbo addressed the important role of the Treaty for global peace and security and the achievements made in the past 20 years since the Treaty came into effect. Further speakers at the conference included the Director General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UODC), Mr. Yury Fedotov, the Director of Public Information of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Serge Gas, the former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Angela Kane, and the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Mr. Lamberto Zannier.
The final day of the conference started with a panel on the role of education in fostering global peace and security, which was moderated by the Director of UNIS Vienna, Mr. Martin Nesirky. Speakers in the panel were Ms. Julia Rainer, the Austrian Youth Delegate to the UN General Assembly, Matthias Huber from the Department of Education at the University of Vienna, and Mr. Billy Batware, the President of the initiative "United for Education and Sustainable Futures" and head of the Regional Academy on the United Nations, who talked about empowerment of young people through education. The panel was followed by presentations of the participants of the 2015/2016 Regional Academy on the United Nations. The presentations, which were held in three sessions, were focused on relevant topics, such as human rights, gender equality, human and economic development, challenges to global peace and security, and the importance of the rule of law for peace building. The conference was closed with a ceremony during which RAUN participants were awarded certificates for their successful completion of the academy.
In total, more than 300 participants joined the event, including several United Nations officials, diplomats, and academics. The opening speech of the conference was held by the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Ms. Lassina Zerbo. In her speech Ms. Zerbo addressed the important role of the Treaty for global peace and security and the achievements made in the past 20 years since the Treaty came into effect. Further speakers at the conference included the Director General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UODC), Mr. Yury Fedotov, the Director of Public Information of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Serge Gas, the former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Angela Kane, and the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Mr. Lamberto Zannier.
The final day of the conference started with a panel on the role of education in fostering global peace and security, which was moderated by the Director of UNIS Vienna, Mr. Martin Nesirky. Speakers in the panel were Ms. Julia Rainer, the Austrian Youth Delegate to the UN General Assembly, Matthias Huber from the Department of Education at the University of Vienna, and Mr. Billy Batware, the President of the initiative "United for Education and Sustainable Futures" and head of the Regional Academy on the United Nations, who talked about empowerment of young people through education. The panel was followed by presentations of the participants of the 2015/2016 Regional Academy on the United Nations. The presentations, which were held in three sessions, were focused on relevant topics, such as human rights, gender equality, human and economic development, challenges to global peace and security, and the importance of the rule of law for peace building. The conference was closed with a ceremony during which RAUN participants were awarded certificates for their successful completion of the academy.