20 Views of a Special Event: The "M Building" Inauguration

Published Date: 25 April 2008

© IAEA UN security guards at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) salute UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's arrival on 25 April 2008 for the opening of a new conference building. Accompanying Mr. Ban Ki-moon is Mr. Antonio Costa, UN Director General in Vienna and Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Inside the new conference hall - called "M Building" - Austrian Federal Minister Ursula Plassnik and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon prepare to greet guests at the opening ceremony on 25 April 2008. Austria's Chief of Protocol, Ms. Melitta Schubert, welcomes guests to the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. Children in the Junior Choir of the Vienna International School (VIS) entertained guests at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. The choir is under the joint direction of VIS teachers Mary Farrell and James Pearson. Against the backdrop displaying symbols of partnership, the VIS Junior Choir performs songs at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. The mayor of Vienna, Austria, Mr. Michael Häupl, addresses guests at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei addresses guests at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. Ms. Ursula Plassnik, Austria's Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, addresses guests at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. Backed by flags and faces of nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses guests at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. In national dress, Wasim Hasan of the VIS Junior Choir introduces a song at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. The VIS Junior Choir performs a song especially chosen for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife. The choir, under the director of VIS teachers Mary Farrell and James Pearson, performed at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, flanked by his wife and Austrian Federal Minister Ursula Plassnik, joins guests in applauding the performance of the VIS Junior Choir, which performed at the opening ceremony of " M Building " at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. With many wearing their national dress, children of the VIS Junior Choir pose for photographs at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. They are joined by (from top left) Ms. Ursula Plassnik, Austrian Federal Minister; Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General; Mr. Antonio Costa, UN Director General in Vienna and Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA Director General; and Mr. Tibor Tóth, Exective Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. With many wearing their national dress, children of the VIS Junior Choir pose for photographs at the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. They are joined by (from top left) Mr. Michael Häupl, Mayor of Vienna, Austria; Ms. Ursula Plassnik, Austrian Federal Minister; Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General; Mr. Antonio Costa, UN Director General in Vienna and Head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA Director General; and Mr. Tibor Tóth, Exective Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Austrian Federal Minister Ursula Plassnik, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and Vienna Mayor Michael Häupl brief the press after the opening ceremony of "M Building" at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008. At a "town hall" meeting for staff at the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and IAEA Deputy Director General for Management David Waller survey the scene. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon proudly shows the teeshirt pronouncing the UN's commitment to a greener, more sustainable environment. Hundreds of staff at the Vienna International Centre took part in the "town hall" meeting during lunchtime on 25 April 2008. UN security guards at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) salute UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's departure on 25 April 2008, after his "town hall" meeting and the opening of the new conference building. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon bids farewell after his visit to the Vienna International Centre on 25 April 2008.