UNSA Vienna and the SDGs

UNSA Vienna team throwing SDG cubes
© Christina Hein
UNSA Vienna and the SDGs
Start date
SDGs
Our aim

Our mission at UNSA Vienna is to shed light on issues or perspectives that may not receive a lot of visibility. For this purpose, we engage with renowned diplomats and experts to create a relevant dialogue. Within the framework of the SDGs, one of the goals is to find practical solutions that take into account the cultural, social and societal context. Realistic concepts, critical views and discourses are welcome to challenge the international community and everyone else interested/involved to look past the simple explanation of the SDGs. We address an internationally orientated community, but specific and local conditions and their structures are to be examined.

Our motivation

Vienna serves as an international centre linking the university, international organisations, the UN and foreign representations - a great treasure box to tap into. Therefore, to bring in a niche for this blog as to not serve as a competition of the UN’s SDG Blog, https://www.un.org/en/desa/sdg-blog, we will focus per month on a different representation based in Vienna, which can involve additional interviews from other experts and overseas representations to support the overall story - covering topics such as feminist foreign policy, film culture as a means to justice, and climate solutions. This will strengthen our partnerships and position as a niche org based in Vienna.

Our means

Giving a Voice to Diplomats and Expert in Vienna on relevant topics related to the SDGs. 

Recent Activities

Activities

: "When the Climate Crisis claims your Home" - Vernetzung

Zum Auftakt unseres Kunstwettbewerbs am Langen Tag der Flucht am 02. Oktober 2020 werden wir mit einer Performance Action selbst aktiv. / To kick off our art competition on the Long Day of Flight on 2 October 2020, we will get active ourselves with a Performance Action.

: Femicide Video Series

Since the rate of violence against women has increased during the COVID19-crisis, we think it is appropriate to raise even more awareness on Femicide and therefore have decided to turn June into our "End Femicide" month. As part of our Femicide Volume XIII Publication we have received several videos from experts and activists defining Femicide and stating why data collection is important. This video series can now be watched on our brand new YouTube Channel!

: Round Table on "Women with Disabilities - Achievements and Challanges ahead"

Event March 9

In order to mark the International Women's Day we have organized a round table with the goal of addressing the challenges that women with disabilities face, but even more, to present strategies of empowerment, as well as to showcase best practice examples of how women and girls with disabilities have conquered and excelled in different fields.

Summing up the Transgender Awareness Week (celebrated between the 13th and 20th of November) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (20th of November), UNSA Vienna is enthusiastic to share the transitioning journeys of two young trans girls, “Samira Hills” and Alison M. Transgender gives freedom – they say - it is the sense of letting come out your deepest and purest self.

Check out Alison M.’s interview below

Nachdem wir schon einige Beiträge von Experten auf dem Gebiet des sozialen Engagements, wie zum Beispiel dem Wiener Büro für Menschenrechte oder dem UNHCR veröffentlicht haben, wollen wir Euch hiermit einen Zugang aus einer anderen Perspektive zu unserem Kunstwettbewerb liefern. Dazu haben wir uns mit dem bildenden Künstler Christoph Steinbrener unterhalten und ihn gebeten, ein bisschen von seiner Arbeit zu erzählen und Euch so einen Einblick in den künstlerischen Ideenfindungsprozess zu bieten, der Euch hoffentlich bei der Schaffung Eures Werks weiterhilft.

Unser Kooperationspartner, das Wiener Büro für Menschenrechte hat einen Artikel für UNSA-Vienna verfasst. Lest über die soziale Komponente der Klimakrise und was Klimaschutzaktivistin Greta Thunberg dazu zu sagen hat.