UNIS Vienna, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) and the Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency invited 50 children from a primary school in Vienna, Austria, to celebrate World Space Week 2006 at the United Nations in Vienna on 10 October.
The children, aged 6-10, visited a UN conference room and the OOSA permanent space exhibit, where they were briefed by experts of the Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency on how satellites work, and how satellite technology can help solve problems on Earth. Following this introduction, the children held a Model UN Conference on Outer Space, with every child representing a different country, at which they discussed whether a limited budget should be spent on building a hotel in outer space, or for buying more satellites to monitor the deforestation of the rainforest and help solve environmental problems on Earth. After a lively discussion, the Conference voted in favour of buying more satellites.
The children were awarded certificates of participation by OOSA, and given souvenirs sponsored by OOSA, the European Space Agency, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency.
