Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria celebrated the International Day of Families with a forum on the theme of Ensuring Work Family Balance at the UPF headquarters on May 15. Dr. Walter Baar, from the Institute for Trends Research, spoke on Family and the World of Work: Successful European Models.

Vienna, Austria - More than 300 event organizers who brought international congresses to Vienna in 2011 were invited to a festive banquet in the ballroom of the Vienna City Hall on May 9 and were declared “Successful Viennese Congress Organizers 2011.”

Vienna, Austria - Following up on the international youth conference during the UN International Year of Youth last July about youth perspectives on peace, the Youth-UPF Austria organized an April 12 forum on “Exploring Global Citizenship.”

Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria organized a World Interfaith Harmony Week commemoration on January 22. In addition, a youth panel discussion about world religions took place on February 9.

Vienna, Austria - UPF in Austria has established a tradition to invite a country or region of the world to share its Christmas traditions for the annual Christmas event. In this way has audience has enjoyed the Christmas spirit of Russia, Brazil, and Africa during recent years. This year it was the turn of the Nordic countries of northern Europe.

Vienna, Austria - Two young musicians greeted the audience with the language of music, which can be understood beyond culture and nationality, as they arrived for a December 8 conference on "Interreligious Dialogue: The Role of the United Nations and Peace in the 21^st Century."

Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria in cooperation with the ensemble Rondo Danube Vienna organized a Russian-Austrian Concert on November 20 featuring works by Russian and Austrian composers, including Johann Strauss, Rimsky-Korsakov, P.I. Tchaikowsky

Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria organized an interreligious service in commemoration of the International Day of Peace on September 18.

Vienna, Austria - Young people from four religions and cultures spoke on the topic: “Dialogue and mutual understanding among reli­gions” at the UPF headquarters in Vienna on August 7. The event was held in support of International Youth Day, observed on August 12 each year.

Vienna, Austria - “Communicating Change: Youth Perspectives on Peace” was the theme of the European Leadership Conference that opened July 1 at the United Nations building in Vienna in commemoration of the International Year of Youth. The defining character of this conference was the part that youth played in its organization and operation and their sense of being supported and encouraged by the wisdom, experience, and appreciation of their elders.

Vienna, Austria -The European Leadership Conference on "Communicating Change: Youth Perspectives on Peace" took place July 1-3, 2011 at the United Nations Building and NH Danube Hotel in Vienna. Linked to the International Year of Youth, the conference featured young members of Parliament, activists, and social entrepreneurs relating their experiences confronting challenging and sometimes dangerous situations as they tried to make the world a better and safer place.

Vienna, Austria - UPF-Austria hosted a forum on May 14 in honor of the International Day of Families. Six speakers addressed the topic of "Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion." A buffet and concert by Slovakian musicians closed the event.

Vienna, Austria - A Sephardic-Andalusian concert by "Fleur Joyeuse de Jerusalem" drew an audience of more than 100 guests to a celebration of the diverse styles of . . .

Vienna, Austria - More than 70 guests attended a panel discussion on "Radical Change in Egypt: Future prospects in the land of the Pharaohs" organized by UPF-Austria on February 15, just a few days after the fall of the Mubarak regime.

At the close of the UN International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, several European UPF chapters celebrated the Christmas season by hosting multicultural events featuring music, art and food from around the world. See reports from Vienna, Austria; Berlin, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart, Germany; and Madrid, Spain.