INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on
"The Role of NGOs in Peacebuilding"

  July 3rd, 2026; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/1210741239?fl=ip&fe=ec

 

   

Speakers:

Ursula Oberhollenzer, Secretary General at Int. CSR Dialogforum

Peter Deininger, President of IAYSP Austria

Josipa Palac, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICDO

Dr. Helga Kerschbaum, Pax Romana: Report from Austrian Forum for Peace in Schlaining

 

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"Prospects for Peace and Security in Europe and it’s Neighborhood"

  June 12th, 2026; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

NGO Committee on Peace 12.6.2026

 

  

Speaker:

Dr. Werner Fasslabend; President of the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy, former Austrian Minister of Defense

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"Peace Education - Bridging SDG 16 and the Wisdom of Religions"

  April 24th, 2026; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

NGO Committee on Peace 24.4.2026

 

  

Speaker:

Dr. Helga Kerschbaum; Vice-Chair, NGO Committee on Peace – Vienna, Delegate of Pax Romana.

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"Ideas for Positive and Sustainable Peace in a time of Global Crisis"

March 25^th, 2026; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/12174698?

 

  

Speaker:

Dr. Heinz Gärtner, teaches at the Department for Political Science of the University of Vienna; Chair of the Advisory Board of the International Institute for Peace (IIP); Chair of the Advisory Committee for Strategy and Security Policy of the Scientific Commission at the Austrian Armed Forces. Author of the book "Ideas for Positive Peace".

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"50 years Helsinki Accords: Lessons for today"

December 5^th, 2025; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/12013426?

  

   

Speakers:

Ms. Anna Salovaara, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy and Permanent Mission of Finland, Vienna.

Dr. Heinz Gärtner, teaches at the Department for Political Science of the University of Vienna; Chair of the Advisory Board of the International Institute for Peace (IIP); Chair of the Advisory Committee for Strategy and Security Policy of the Scientific Commission at the Austrian Armed Forces.

Dr. Loic Simonet, Researcher at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip). In 2008, he was appointed as Politico-Military Counsellor of the French Permanent Representation to the OSCE in Vienna and, in 2013, he joined the OSCE Secretariat as Senior External Co-operation Officer until June 2021.

Mr. Tord Björk, Coordinator of the Helsinki +50 People’s Initiative taken by the Nordic Peace Alliance, a network of peace organizations in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion"

Oktober 24^th, 2025; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

   

Speakers:

Dr. Eser Akbaba, Journalist, Presenter, Author; Project Coordinator, Austrian Integration Fund

Mr. Ehsan Ajdari, Integration Ambassador; Section Manager, Vienna Chamber of Commerce

 

 

“INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE EVENT OF THE NGO COMMITTEE ON PEACE VIENNA“

"United Nations – 80 Years for Peace, Perspectives for the Future"

September 19th, 2025; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

 

The NGO Committee on Peace Vienna with the support of Bertha von Suttner Friedensakademie organized an event commemorating the International Day of Peace.

  Ceremony at the Peace Bell in the Memorial Placa

International Day of Peace 2025 – NGOCOPV auf Vimeo - Peace Bell

 

   

Welcome by Mr. Peter Haider, Chair, NGO Committee on Peace – Vienna and Mag. Magdalena Pfeifer, Bertha von Suttner Friedensakademie

Gong: Mr. Maximilian Seiler

Messages by Ms. Rebecca Jovin, Chief of Office, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs at Vienna

and by H.E. Mohammad Kamran Akhtar Malik, Ambassador of Pakistan to Austria and to the International Organizations in Vienna

Saxophone music: Mr. Stefan Eitzenberger

Ms. Lena Raubaum, Austrian author of children’s and young adult literature, read from her book “The Peace Animal”

Ringing the Peace bell.

 

Conference with the theme „UN – 80 years for Peace, Perspectives for the Future“ was organized in the VIC

International Day of Peace 2025 - NGOVOPV auf Vimeo - Conferenceo

 

  

Speakers:

H.E. Yacouba Cisse, Ambassador of Ivory Coast to Austria and to the International Organizations in Vienna

Mr. Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Visiting Lecturer International Relations, member Advisory Board of the Siracusa Institute, former Director Policy Analysis and Public Information, UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Dr. Verena Winiwarter, Professor of environmental history at the Institute for Social Ecology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences 2018-2022. Since 2016, she has headed the Commission for Interdisciplinary Ecological Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Scientist of the Year 2013’ (Club of Education and Science Journalists, Austria)

Ms. Heather Wokusch, Founder of blockhub.care, designs EdTech and PeaceTech systems to leverage technology for humanitarian capacity building. As the Executive Director of SDG2030.me, she innovates Crowdsourced Solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ms. Anastasia Yatsko, Founder and Programme Director, Earth charter Austria, a global effort to power a movement of bringing about a just, sustainable and peaceful future

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on
"Global Disarmament, a necessary condition for human survival – Special focus on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons"

June 26^th, 2025; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/11773467

 

 

Speakers:

Dr. Klaus Renoldner, IPPNW - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Medical doctor and sustainability researcher

Ambassador Alexander Kmentt, Director of the Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Department of the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Author of the book “The Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons: How it was Achieved and Why it Matters“.

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"The Legislation-Peace Nexus and New Insights in Peace Research"

April 25^th, 2025, Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/11687286

 

 

Speakers:

Mag. Franz Jedlicka, Austrian sociologist and postgraduate peace researcher focusing on the psycho-social roots causes of wars

Mr. Josef Mühlbauer, MA, Political scientist, Peace Journalist, Author and Book Publisher, recently on “Critical Peace Research“

 

 

Event commemorating the Spring Equinox and related UN Days

“Earth Day – Nou Rouz – Day of Happiness”

March 20th 2025 - Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/11637651

 

 

Speakers:

Mag. Franz Nahrada, Sociologist, futurologist and writer, representative of Earth Society Foundation

(Songs for peace by the choir “Musica Viva”; Choirmaster: Jury Everhartz)

Earth Day: Dr. Peter Weish, Human ecologist, pioneer in environmentalism, peace activist

Nou Rouz: Ms. Mina Amighi (read by Dr. Helga Kerschbaum) Member of the Zoroastrian Community in Vienna

Day of Happiness: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Hermann Mückler, University of Vienna, Institute for Cultural and Social Anthropology; President, Umbrella Association of all Austrian-Foreign Societies - PaN

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"The original Vision of the UN and the Pact for the Future"

February 21st 2025; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/showcase/11595450

 

  

Speakers:

Dr. Afsar Rathor, Former UN Executive (UN Peacekeeping Missions, UNIDO etc.). He is a global citizen as he grew up, studied and has roots in several countries. He had a distinguished career with several United Nations organizations across the globe. He has an extensive experience in peace & conflict resolution, poverty alleviation, diplomacy, interfaith harmony, climate change, and project & risk management. He has worked with the UN Department of Peacekeeping (UNDPK) serving in several war-hit conflict zones, among others, in Bosnia Herzegovina, Rwanda and Somalia etc.

Mr. Yosuke Nakagawa, Associate Expert, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs Vienna

Mr. Billy Batmore, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Programme Officer - Crime Prevention and Drug Policy

Mr. Markus Wainde Wane, Austrian UN youth delegate. He was involved in the run-up to the Summit of the Future and took part in the summit in New York. He worked as a volunteer for the Alpbach Vienna initiative group and the Young Global Shapers. A year in Senegal was particularly formative for him. He is currently studying Business & Economics and International Law.

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

"Risk Management in the Digital Era with Wars in Europe and the Middle East Measures for a more Peaceful World"

October 23rd 2024; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/1026489144

 

Speaker: Dr. Wolfgang Kromp, Univ.Prof. ret. for Safety and Risk Sciences, BOKU University Vienna. Dr. Kromp studied physics and mathematics at the University of Vienna and spent decades researching the technology and risks of nuclear power. Originally a supporter of nuclear energy, he later changed his mind and became an opponent. In 1991 he became head of the "Nuclear Safety" project of the Senate of the University of Vienna. Four years later, the project became the "Institute for Risk Research" and since 2009 it has been based at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) as the "Institute for Safety and Risk Sciences". He received the Konrad Lorenz Prize, a state prize awarded between 1981 and 2005 for commitment to nature and the environment.

 

“INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE EVENT OF THE NGO COMMITTEE ON PEACE VIENNA“

September 20th, 2024; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

First Part: VIC, Memorial Plaza, at the “Peace Bell”

Welcome by Mr. Peter Haider, Chair of the NGO Committee on Peace

Statement by Mr. Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director of policy analysis and public affairs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Song by Ms. Neivi Martinez, Classical Soprano based in Mexico and Vienna: “Freude schöner Götterfunken” (from Symphony No. 9, Beethoven)

Ringing the Peace Bell

https://vimeo.com/1015307488

 

 

 

Second part: Panel discussion on the topic: “Peace needs Youth and Media”

 

Opening statement: Ms. Rebecca Jovin, Chief of Office of the UNODA at Vienna

Panelists: Mr. John Herzog (Austrian Journalists Club - ÖJC Vice president) "From rose to cactus and beyond - Kids, media & peace (a masterpiece)" - Pictures, words and chances for young people.

Ms. Kirsty Rancier, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Strategic Planning and Inter-Agency Affairs Unit "Youth as agents of change to achieve the SDGs"

Mr. Marvin Huber, former Austrian UN Youth delegate

Ms. Madge Gill Bukasa (Verein Die Bunten & ÖJC) "The colourful turn into a young communication with young people"

Mr. Vincent Englitsch, EUth - Association for the promotion of individuality among young people in Europe

 

 

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION MEETING on

“The Nexus of Global Climate Change, Sustainability and Peace“

June 26th 2024; Vienna International Centre – UN Vienna

https://vimeo.com/972951105/f813dc8aa8

 

 

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Helga Kromp-Kolb, Prof. Dr. Helga Kromp-Kolb, an emeritus university professor of meteorology and climatology at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, where she also founded and directed the Center for Global Change and Sustainability. Her research focus is on environmental meteorology, in particular the dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere and climate change. In recent years, her work has also focused on issues of sustainable development, the transformation of society and the necessary paradigm shift in science and society. She is one of the co-founders of the Alliance of Sustainable Universities in Austria. Prof. Helga Kromp-Kolb is not only a renowned climate researcher, but also a true cosmopolitan: born in Vienna, the diplomat’s daughter grew up in France, Luxembourg, India and Austria. She was also later drawn from Austria to other countries.

 

The NGO Committe on Peace – Vienna

is a forum of Representatives of International NGOs accredited at the United Nations Vienna

 

Members of the Board:

 

Chair: Peter Haider (Universal Peace Federation)

First Vice-Chair: Helga Kerschbaum (Pax Romana)

Second Vice-Chair: Elisabeth Jungmeier (Pax Christi)

Secretary: Alfred Heiligenbrunner (Universala Esperanto-Asocio)

Deputy-Secretary: Christian Pavlovsky (Soka Gakkai International)

Treasurer: Gebhard Fidler (Verein zur Förderung der Völkerverständigung)

Deputy-Treasurer: Rita Assogna (International Federation of Business and Professional Women)

Board Members: Klaus Renoldner (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War),

Maria Riehl (Women's Federation for World Peace International),

Thomas Roithner (IFOR – Internationaler Versöhnungsbund)

Contact:

Peter Haider Email: phaider@chello.at Tel.: +436502588846

Address: Wagramer Str. 5, 1400 Wien, Austria

 

NGO COMMITTEE ON PEACE, VIENNA - STATUTES

I. AIMS

1. The aims of the Committee are to:

a) Facilitate the activities of the non-governmental organizations represented at the United Nations in Vienna that are interested in efforts to further peace and continue the activities and endeavours of the International Year of Peace 1986;

b) Convene meetings that serve as fora for the collection and exchange of information and views on matters concerning peace; and

c) Promote liaison with the relevant departments of the United Nations and its specialized agencies.

II. MEMBERSHIP

2. Membership is open to:

a) NGOs that have: (a) consultative status with ECOSOC in one of the following categories (General, Special and Roster) by action of either the Council or the Secretary-General; and (b) have a permanent representative accredited to the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV);

b) NGOs placed on the roster by virtue of their consultative status with specialized agencies of other United Nations bodies and whose representatives are accredited to UNOV; and

c) International or national NGOs actively engaged in the promotion of peace may, with the consent of the Committee, be granted associate membership.

III. STRUCTURE

3. The structure of the Vienna NGO Committee on Peace comprises:

a) The Committee - b) The Board - c) The Officers - d) The Auditors

IV. FUNCTIONS

a) The Committee:

1) The Committee shall meet regularly, at least four times a year and shall determine the date and place of its sessions. An extraordinary meeting of the Committee shall be convened by the Board or at the request of at least one third of the membership.

2) The Committee shall hold an annual General Meeting not later than three calendar months after the end of the financial year. The provisional agenda of the General Meeting shall include the following items:

(a) Annual report of the Committee

(b) Annual interim financial report

(c) Annual draft budget (d) Auditors’ report (Biennial) (e) Election of Officers (Biennial) (f) Appointment of Auditors (Biennial).

3) The Committee shall regularly review the status of its liaison with the relevant departments of the United Nations at Vienna and shall maintain close contact with other NGOs.

4) The Committee shall elect the Board.

5) The Committee shall determine the membership dues and approve the budget. Following the presentation of the biennial financial report by the Treasurer, the Auditors present their report and, if appropriate, propose the discharge of the Board.

6) Decisions and actions taken by the Committee shall be by consensus. A quorum shall consist of at least one third of the member organizations.

7) The Committee meetings are open to representatives of UNOV and other NGOs accredited to the VIC. Other interested observers may be invited.

8) The Committee may establish sub-committees or ad hoc committees at the proposal of the Chair and the request of at least five member organizations.

b) The Board:

1) The Board of the Committee shall comprise: Chair, First Vice-Chair, Second Vice-Chair, Secretary, Deputy-Secretary, Treasurer, Deputy-Treasurer

2) The Board shall draw up the agenda of the Committee meetings and submit proposals to the Committee for adoption by consensus. A quorum of at least five Board members shall be required

3) The Board shall decide on the disbursement of funds in accordance with the approved budget.

4) Only one person per organization shall be eligible for membership on the Board.

c) The Officers:

1) The Chair shall convene and preside over meetings, as well as maintain communications with other NGO Committees and competent groups interested in disarmament-related issues and steps towards peace.

2) Whenever the Chair is unable to perform his or her functions, the First Vice-Chair or, in his or her absence, the Second Vice-Chair shall be Acting Chair. The Acting Chair shall have the same power and duties as the 2 Vice-Chairs. At all times the First Vice-Chair and the Second Vice-Chair shall assist the Chair, as necessary.

3) The Secretary is responsible for keeping the minutes of Committee meetings, maintaining a list of members and recording attendance at meetings. The Secretary shall arrange for the distribution of the minutes of each meeting and other relevant written material to all member organizations and to such persons and organizations as the Committee may decide.

4) Whenever the Secretary is unable to perform his or her functions, the Deputy-Secretary shall act on his/her behalf. At all times, the Deputy Secretary shall assist the Secretary, as necessary.

5) The Treasurer shall be responsible for orderly conduct of the financial affairs of the Committee, shall act as receiving and disbursing officer, and shall be responsible for preparing the accounts, financial reports and budgets. Each year the Treasurer shall present an interim financial report to the Committee. Every other year, he/she will present a biennial report that is subject to the scrutiny of the auditors.

6) Whenever the Treasurer is unable to perform his or her functions, the Deputy-Treasurer shall act on his/her behalf. At all times, the Deputy- Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer, as necessary.

d) The Auditors:

1) Two independent auditors shall review the Treasurer’s financial report and report back to the Committee. V. MATTERS OF SUBSTANCE

a) Any statement of the Vienna NGO Committee on Peace on matters of substance will be binding only on those member organizations whose representatives has signed the same with the approval of their headquarters.

VI. ELECTIONS

a) The Board shall be elected for a period of two years. No officer of the Board shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

b) In preparation for the elections, a nominations sub-committee shall be formed; it shall invite nominations of candidates. The sub-committee shall prepare a list of all candidates representing organizations in good financial standing and circulate their names to the membership at least four weeks before the date of the elections. The Board will be elected by a majority of member organizations in good financial standing and present. One vote per organization, with no absentee voting.

c) Two Auditors shall be appointed for a period of two years from among those members who are not members of the Board. They can be re-appointed once.

VII. AMENDMENTS

a) Proposals to amend these Statutes (originally called Rules of Procedure) may be made by any member organization.

b) Amendments to the Statutes require the adoption of a formal decision to that effect at a General Meeting. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Chair; they shall be circulated to the Board and the Committee members at least four weeks before the General Meeting. The decision to amend the Statutes requires a two-thirds majority of members present and voting (one vote per organization), with no absentee voting.

As amended and adopted on 10th of December 2008.