| The UN city reveal the way Vienna perceives | | | | Nations. The exhibition was inaugurated on by |
| itself as a platform for international meetings at | | | | Michael Häupl, the mayor of Vienna, and |
| the heart of a united Europe. A long-standing | | | | Antonio Costa, director general of the United |
| tradition by the way, as much of the world's | | | | Nations in Vienna. Michael Häupl in his address |
| history has been and continues to be made-up | | | | pointed out that the city's international and |
| here. Three different cultures intersect here | | | | cosmopolitan character was largely due to the |
| whose idiosyncrasies have created a distinct | | | | existence of UN City. As a young man he had |
| atmosphere at the centre of Europe to which | | | | been proud to learn that Vienna had been |
| numerous summit meetings and international | | | | awarded such an important landmark role and to |
| congresses held in Vienna since the mid 20th | | | | this day he was proud to see how many UN |
| century bear vivid testimony. | | | | institutions the city was hosting. Cooperation with |
| The Vienna International Center, also known as | | | | the UN was good he stressed and he hoped that |
| the UN City, is one of the four official locations of | | | | international staff at the UN City felt at home in |
| the United Nations, in addition to New York, | | | | Vienna. |
| Geneva and Nairobi. Multilingual guides from | | | | The VIC which has been designed by Austrian |
| different countries inform you about the work of | | | | architect Johann Staber, was built between 1973 |
| the United Nations and the many tasks of the | | | | and 1979 just north of the river Danube. In it six |
| organizations located here. | | | | Y-shaped office towers surround a cylindrical |
| The creation of the UN City in the mid-1970s | | | | conference building for a total floor area of |
| made Vienna the third seat of the United Nations | | | | 230,000 square meters. The highest tower stands |
| after New York and Zurich. Popular wisdom held | | | | 120 meters tall, having 28 floors. About 5,000 |
| that this was an important part of Austria's | | | | people work at the VIC, which also offers |
| defense strategy during the Cold War: though | | | | catering, banking, postal and shopping facilities. |
| Austria was officially neutral, it was believed that | | | | Larger conferences can be accommodated in the |
| Warsaw Pact troops would be less likely to invade | | | | neighboring Austria Center Vienna a conference |
| a city with a large international population. | | | | and exhibition centre with a capacity of 6000.The |
| To commemorate the "25 years Vienna | | | | VIC is an extraterritorial area. |
| International Centre" has staged an exhibition in | | | | Complementing the ongoing Asbestos removal |
| the arcades of the Vienna City Hall which grants a | | | | works in the VIC, a new conference building to be |
| general idea of the VICs origins and day-to-day | | | | opened in 2008, is being constructed near the |
| business while providing information on resident | | | | southern perimeter of the campus. |
| organizations and Austria's role within the United | | | | |