Director General/Executive Director
Sehr geehrter Herr Bürgermeister,
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
Es ist mir eine grosse Freude und Ehre, Sie anlässlich des Jubiläums 35 Jahre Amtsitz der Vereinten Nationen in Wien, willkommen zu heissen.
"Wien ist anders" - Vienna is different, Vienna is special.
The Austrian capital is often celebrated for offering the highest quality of life of any city in the world.
It is a great privilege for us at the United Nations to have the third headquarters of the UN here.
Some 4,400 people from around 120 countries work at the Vienna International Centre every day.
Indeed, we have colleagues with us today who have been coming to work here at the VIC for 35 years.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you and thank you for your years of service.
From combating drugs and crime; to addressing nuclear weapons and testing; advancing sustainable development and energy; and promoting the peaceful use of outer space: these are just some of the challenges the diverse UN organizations and entities here at the VIC deal with on a daily basis.
We recently opened our doors to visitors from Austria and elsewhere to share information about what we do.
More than 2,000 people took part in these free guided tours of the VIC.
I was very gratified by the high level of interest in our work.
And I am pleased that in this small way we could give back to the community that has given us so much.
I hope that having the UN in Vienna has been mutually beneficial, mutually enriching.
In our work here we often speak about the "Vienna Spirit" - namely, the willingness and dedication of all concerned to pull together to find joint solutions, even on the most difficult topics.
The Vienna Spirit speaks to the founding purpose and principles of the United Nations.
It is the key to our achievements so far, and it is the hope for a peaceful and more just future.
In closing, allow me to thank Mayor Häupl, the city of Vienna and the Austrian government for their hospitality and generous support.
I've heard it said that "Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter".
A true Viennese never gives up.
This serves very well as a motto for the UN family in Vienna: in the face of formidable challenges, we continue to work together and strive for peace and security the world over.
Vielen herzlichen Dank!
Thank you.