Austria

The main activities are annual "peacecamps" - multicultural encounters of four different groups of young people. They always involve Palestinian and Jewish Israelis and two European groups - one from Austria plus one from a country  behind the former Iron Curtain. So far we had Slovenian and Hungarian groups participating in peacecamps.
peacecamps' main activities are:
- getting-to know the "other's" culture, religion, history, society, nation, social reality, etc.
- learning the narrative of the "other"
- cope with mission impossible challenges
- debating (listening, arguing, speaking up one's mind)
- talking/presenting issues to an audience
- going on stage (giving a speech, a presentation, performing on stage)
- show4peace and welcome reception with speeches, awards and many invited guests (public figures and private persons)
Our experience is based on 12 peacecamps which we have realized since 2004, each new and different from the previous ones in many respects - with a different focus, different workshops, team-members, workshop-leaders and participants each time.
Right now peacecamp no. 13 is in preparation for July 2015.
 

Let´´s Brick and Play Well2030!
Since its founding date in 2016, from an understanding of the UN Agenda2030 as a universal Peace concept in its core and understanding sustainability as "ability to love our next", ACD-Team has developed a number of initiatives, to support the realization of the UN SDGs through educational projects and partnerships (SDG4+SDG 17) such as:

F*Air, CD-Airshow Tours, “Artimpact2030”, inTalk Sessions, Dance Arts&Diplomacy, Arvore da Vida2030, educational projects such as Let´s brick!, IkuBi2030 Children radio project in Kenya, SprachenWeb, C-19 -response -project Women.Art.Solidarity, public events such as Vienna meets … Diplomacy on Stage, online educational format on UNESCO Futures of Education inTalk Sessions with Focus groups, solidarity project M4life in Maragoli, Kenya, intercultural exchange projects such as Let´s Brick! Austria-Japan, initiatives to support the SDG5+3+ 8 + SDG10 through the development of cross-sectoral partnerships, such as COOPS for decent work KuBiPa2030, Art&Health: BGF2030

In cooperation with the governmental and non-governmental sector, public sector, private sector, and civil society ACD-team and its cultural ambassadors are active in the development, exchange, and promotion of the UN Agenda2030-oriented methods and strategies, considering the Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDG´s) as a common frame for activities, based on universal values.

ACD-President provides its members with free consultancy, educational materials, and advice for the creation of projects. By the need for specific advice, ACD-Ambassadors, Members, and Partners are supported by ACD-advisory members, partners, and experts from ACD-partnership organizations and institutions.

ACD-General Assembly takes part in a two years interval. The event format “Diplomacy on stage” was created by ACD-President and includes academic programs with Keynotes and Lightning Talks delivered by ACD-Team, Ambassadors, and Guest Speakers from Education, Politics, Art, Creative Industries, Diplomacy, Media, and beyond. Within the Open Space Talk Sessions, Art Program, Culinary Diplomacy Salon, and “Emerging Acts”, participants have the opportunity to exchange their ideas, experiences, suggestions, grow their network, under the motto “Connect&Act”.

ACD- events are taking place in cooperation with relevant, established institutions such as Vienna Diplomatic Academy, Haus of United Nations, Kunst Haus Wien, Vienna 3rd District Hall, among other places.

Shaeirat – Bilingual performances by contemporary Arab women poets
Earth Works: Encounter of ceramic artists from Austria and Egypt
Western Balkans: History and Encounter in Styrian Schools
Urban Anthropology Program
SCRIPTORIUM: Workshops in creative, intercultural and therapeutic writing and storytelling

ACTIVE offers a broad spectrum of cultural activities ranging from free time activities via games and sports through to intercultural events for 150 learners per year. Types of events and activities are also ranging from focused on young people through migrants to generation spanning events. Secondly, it covers a broad range of continuing education. ACTIVE offers occupational training seminars in the field of outdoor sports and language lessons, eco-friendly courses for senior citizens and migrants, and education and recreation courses for youngsters and seniors too. Participants acquire recognized training certificates and are qualified as multipliers. ACTIVE provides safe space and necessary equipment for a number of active citizens which like to be physically active and enjoy sports in nature. The activities are inclusive and participatory as well as tailored to the specific needs
and interests of young children, youth, adults or senior citizens.

ACTIVE designs its activities to be in line with promoting active citizenship and youth entrepreneurship. The organization gives young people a chance to attend various projects, youth exchanges and seminars where they can improve their skills, better understand common values and civic engagement and develop a sense of initiative. Improvement of digital skills of young people is also one of ACTIVE’s priorities since it contributes to their employability. During international and local activities, different technologies are used and provided to participants. Since ACTIVE organizes a lot of sport events, those are also enriched by implementing the newest technologies. The organization is also active on social media, using it to raise awareness about the main topics of interest (youth participation, active citizenship, Erasmus+ program, sustainability, sports, youth work etc.)

To ensure social inclusion of all groups, ACTIVE’s volunteers regularly provide online language classes, focusing mostly on German language. The classes are free to attend and encompass a range of language levels and topics of interest depending on the demand of the participants.

ACTIVE team members have participated in multiple trainings and initiatives under the Erasmus+ and ACTIVE has experienced Erasmus+ Sport projects through volunteer activities implementing eco-friendly workshops and activities in Vienna woods. ACTIVE was not included in Eco-friendly sport as an official partner. The members of the organization joined the challenge and organized a clean-up of natural areas used for practicing sports in 7 EU countries.

All ACTIVE’s activities are in line with eco-friendly approaches and we take advantage of any chance to promote environmental protection and conservation. Organizing nature clean-ups, eco-friendly sport activities, supporting digital transformation and sustainable way of managing the organization all make ACTIVE an environmentally conscious and friendly organization.

ACTIVE regularly organizes hiking events in Vienna woods led by our members and volunteers. Events are open, available for anyone to join, but especially targeting young people and migrants living in Vienna and surrounding areas. The aim is to promote physical activity of young people, give them an opportunity to escape from their sedentary lifestyle and help them to integrate into the society by participating in the events. Events are many times attended by people new to the city and country and it is a great chance to meet new like-minded people and join a slowly growing network of young hikers. The hikes are always designed in an inclusive way, choosing appropriate difficulty, length and usually the are also combined with other activities such as plogging, herbal hiking, planting trees etc. Hiking itself is promoting social inclusion by not giving barriers to participation in physical activity.

• The Austria Baroque Academy Gmunden: master courses and summer courses with international participants and teachers.
• The Austria Baroque Academy Moskau, in collaboration with the Tschaikovsky University of Moscow, the Gnesin-Music-Academy and the Austria Cultural Forum Moskau.
• The Austria Baroque Academy Belgrade, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Austrian Embassy in Belgrade and the University of Belgrade: Master Courses, Advanced Training Classes and Courses for beginners, for students coming from the Ex-Yugoslavia and Albania.
• ABA Music Awards, financed by Telekom Austria: public competition in the three musical field of “vocal“, “instrumental“ and “ensemble”.
• International concerts and performances, The Academy’s program is rounded off by numerous concerts and performances given by the lecturers.

Ensuring the implementation of UNESCO programmes and concerns, serving as a “hub” at national as well as international level.
Focal points are selected within the field of UNESCO focal points, to date: adult literacy, fostering UNESCO Associated Schools, education for sustainable development, biosphere reserves, intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity, intangible heritage
Statutory Tasks:
• advising the federal and provincial governments;
• establishing and maintaining contacts between UNESCO and interested institutions and individuals in Austria;
• co-operating with UNESCO-relevant regional initiatives;
• participating in the organisational preparations for UNESCO events
• informing the public of UNESCO goals and programmes
• co-operating with NatComs of other countries