Student visit to the UN office and UNICTRAL in Vienna 2009

On Tuesday, October 20th 2009, Prof. Anis Bajrektarevic organised a one-day study trip to the United Nation headquarter in Vienna for all 5th semester full- and part-time students of Export-oriented Management, as well as for exchange students taking his course “International Law and Organisations”.

It was the 6th consecutive annual visit to the UN organised by Prof. Bajrektarevic, and overall the 70th event he organised for his Chair IL&GPS.

At 13:45 about 80 students and Prof. Bajrektarevic entered the UN building, separated into two groups and were given a tour through the impressive and artistic complex by two young, smart and very dedicated gentlemen.

Stopping in the center of the buildings, the Rotunda, decorated with the flags of all 196 UN member states, the groups were given an overview about the UN, its history, an insight into the way the UN works and most important: a description of the goals of the organization and what it stands for: Peace & conflict resolving and Human Rights.

Leaving the imposing court behind, the next stop was one of the newly constructed conference rooms, which can hold up to 800 people. The Viennese UN headquarter hosts approximately 2000 conferences a year, which are translated into the 6 official UN languages: English, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabian and Spanish.

The biggest organisation situated in the UN headquarter in Vienna is the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency. It happened that later that day, the conference about nuclear weapons in Iran was held, and as the tour led through the premises, it was possible to catch a glimpse on the preparations of the conference and talk with the guides about the process of such an event.

The second part of the study trip allowed the students to have the pleasure to listen to Mr. Jae Sung Lee, who works as a legal officer in the International Trade Law Division in the Office of Legal Affairs of the UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law). He presented facts and data about the organisation, its member states, its difference to other trade organisations like the UNCTAD or the WTO and explained the three big areas in which the institution is separated in: UNCITRAL Commission, Six Working Groups (Procurement, Arbitration, Transport Law, Electronic Commerce, Insolvency Law, Security Interests) and UNCITRAL Secretariat.

Mr. Lee himself works in the Secretariat, which serves the Working Groups as it prepares texts and reports for them to work on.

After finishing his lecture and giving the students a deep and comprehensive insight into the working manner of one of the United Nations biggest organisations, Mr. Jae Sung Lee showed the students the webpage of UNCITRAL and the UN, and showed where to best find information, reports or case laws, which are ready to use for students for scientific papers and research.

As the Q&A session began, Mr. Lee was so kind to answer several questions and also talked about his personal past as e.g. when the question arose on how to qualify as a UN staff member, he spoke about his background, education and career.

Furthermore students were interested in the single-window idea, which is a concept for international trade, where all information and documents can be filled out simultaneously. Moreover he talked about the EUs role in the legal dispute of the arctic land claims.

In the meantime Prof. Dr. Bajrektarevic organised and collected information and material concerning the UN, the UNICTRAL and current issues the UN is working on, for free withdrawal for the students. The perfect closure, which concluded this magnificent excursion, was the group picture taken, again in the beautiful setting in the Rotunda in front of the massive UN complex.

Text & Photos: Sarah J. & Barbara S. (rev. A.B.)