Since this activity combined both schoolwork and general Vienna beauty, I thought I'd go ahead and post about it so it doesn't appear that I just goof off all the time over here. One class I am taking this semester, Environmental Management and Sustainability, was able to participate in this conference/workshop on Local Energy Initiatives. The workshop was 3 days (one was the intro day soon after my semester began) and then two days last week. The first session was at UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) and the workshop was in partnership with SID (Society for International Development) and several other universities around Vienna. Due to some scheduling conflicts at the UN, these two days were held in Laxenburg, which is just outside Vienna. Laxenburg was once the summer retreat palace (along with Schoenbrunn) for the Habsburgs. Not a shabby venue for a conference.
The outside of the main entrance for us
The church directly across the square from the entrance
Jelena, me and Blanca with the poster we produced to help explain the case study we chose.
The staircase up to the conference rooms
The first day we heard speakers from all over discussing various facets of local sustainability initiatives. Some were professors, some worked for NGOs, some for other government agencies, and we were given time to ask questions and discuss after each presentation. The second day we were split up into working groups and given a topic to discuss and asked to come up with solutions based on our topic. We also had a small poster show where we were able to go around and see what other local initiatives are going on and what can be learned from them. The conference organizers also allotted time for us to go on a tour of the grounds at Laxenburg, and even though most of the insides are now used as IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) offices, it is still a gorgeous building.
Looking off the terrace into the courtyard of the palace
Sisi's breakfast pavilion on the terrace
Each IIASA director gets to plant a different tree out here as they are departing their post
The upstairs almost attic space (although it is large and takes up almost 3 floors), which was used as a children's playroom. The painting isn't completely original, but a best estimate of what it looked like when the Habsburgs were here.
Presenting my working group's analysis of ideal criteria for initiating and maintaining networks of stakeholders for local initiatives.
Overall the conference was really interesting. A bit exhausting by the end of two full days, but I'm really glad that my class was able to be a part of it!
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