Already thought about what to do with old exhibition panels that cannot be used anymore? The City of Vienna, in cooperation with the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna and other UN offices based in the Austrian capital, found a sustainable way to reuse canvas from old UN exhibitions at the Vienna International Centre.
With the help and in support of a local women's integration project "Nachbarinnen", the City of Vienna produced bags, backpacks, document envelopes and purses from old panels provided by UNIS and other UN entities, making each item a unique product and a symbol of a responsible and sustainable use of our resources. With the images and text displayed on the panels that were used, the new products also give a glimpse into UN's activities in Vienna.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and many UN Principals who had come together in Vienna on 27-28 April for join the UN Chief Executives Board (CEB) for Coordination Meeting were briefed about the project, and many were keen to know more.
Since the successful launch of this initiative and overall positive feedback, colleagues at the Vienna International Centre are now scouring their storage rooms for old exhibition material that could possibly be used for further projects. And there are indeed already some follow-up projects with several of the Vienna-based organizations and the City of Vienna lined up.
The integration project "Nachbarinnen"("Neighbours") is a local association in Vienna to connect women with and without migration background, giving each other a hand for a successful integration. You can read more about the project (in German) here: www.nachbarinnen.at
