United Nations in Vienna....

We have been so very lucky with the weather here in Vienna. It's been great to be here in the springtime and experience that special beauty that only spring can provide.
On our various outings, from the subway, we spied the United Nations of Vienna and have been wanting to go by for a visit. We tried last Friday but it was Good Friday and it was closed. Austria is a very Catholic country and so both Good Friday and Easter Monday (Dyngus Day) are national holidays. So today is Tuesday and here we go!

There are four UN's around the world. Can you name their locations? No? Okay, then here they are: New York City, Vienna, Nairobi, and Geneva. Each is charged with a different "goal" toward making this world a better place. So, the UN in NYC is known more for diplomacy, security, and peacekeeping, Geneva-- human rights; Nairobi--world ecology; and Vienna is technology and industrial development. Within those specialties are layers of additional specialized programs and agencies.

Vienna's specialized agencies include: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, The Office for Outer Space Affairs, The Commission for International Trade Law, The International Atomic Energy Agency, The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization, The UN Register of Damage Caused by the Construction of the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, AND, other offices and entities. Over 6,000 people work here.

192 countries are members of the UN--oh, one more makes 193 and that 'one more' is Vatican City. Six major languages are emphasized and spoken: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French and Russian. Did you know that there are close to 6,000 different languages world wide?
Interpreters earn $500 per hour and can only work for 3 hours at a time. They do simultaneous translating which takes total intensive concentration. Each translator must be totally proficient in 3 languages.
Gifts from various countries are given and there is some very beautiful art work all around.
Here's a gift that the US gave--it's a piece of moon rock. Please note that it is over 3 billion years old. Does that add some perspective to your life?
Morocco gave this fountain as a symbol of the water crisis that most people of the world are experiencing.

Here's the section on outer space...

Here's information on the world-wide drug crisis....

There was a conference going on regarding Human Trafficking....

And as we left, we passed this gift from Japan which is a reminder of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Then, to top it off, we got to go over to dinner at the Pötz household. Here are Katharina and young son (4 years old), Frederick.

Frederich, Katharina, and Oma (grand ma) Linde. (Linde is formally known as Sieglinde and guess who is named after her?).

And more happy diners after Linde's great meal. (Trude (Linde's sister), me, and Jean).

Geeez, who could ask for more?? Thanks for such a great day!