On 24 October 2003, UNIS Vienna had organized an event to mark on the following occasions: United Nations Day, the International Year of Freshwater (IYFW) and the 130th Anniversary of the inauguration of the first Vienna Alpine Spring Water Conduit.
The Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Häupl, handed over an artistically designed drinking fountain to the Vienna based International Organizations, donated by the City of Vienna.
The entire project was initiated and handled by UNIS (project manager: Ms. Renate Henke) as part of an extensive campaign to commemorate the IYFW. Austrian artist, Hansi Dietrich, in his fountain “AQA – Water With A Human Face” symbolizes the trilogies of body, spirit and soul, as well as that of water, earth and light. In that piece of art, the energy that water carries within it, is visualized. This energy becomes vivid through a delicate construction including a lit glass basin, underlined by a wall installation, on which one can see two faces looking at each other as a symbol for the inter-relation between human beings.
At the inauguration ceremony, the Mayor of Vienna handed over the fountain to the Director-General of UNOV, Antonio Maria Costa, who received it on behalf of all VIC based United Nations organizations and programmes. All VIC based organizations were represented by their Executive Heads or their delegates and staff council representatives. Approximately 200 guests, media workers and NGO activists, as well as members of the staff at large took part in the celebration.
The fountain is located at a very exposed venue at the VIC, noticeable and accessible to anyone coming into the building. It is also a new attraction within guided tours for visitors. The drinking fountain should encourage to help other fountains (wells) to grow, wherever there is need for water. A first offer to sponsor such a charity project, has been received by UNIS.
The inauguration event was widely covered by the Austrian TV in the Vienna local news programme as well as in the three main news transmissions on the same evening.
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For further information contact:
Renate Henke, UNIS Vienna
Tel.: + 43 1 260 60–3324
Email: renate.henke@unvienna.org
