Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation

The Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC) is one of Austria's oldest civil-society organisations active in development policy and international dialogue. It was founded in 1962, following the "Conference for Economic Cooperation and Partnership" held in Salzburg and Vienna in July 1962, by Bruno Kreisky together with prominent politicians from the so-called "Third World", such as Tom Mboya of Kenya and Ahmed Ben Salah of Tunisia. It began as a think tank for global development-policy questions and is described as the oldest civil-society development-policy organisation in Austria. The VIDC is legally constituted as a non-profit fund under the Austrian Federal Foundations and Funds Act. Its statutory purpose is international and interdisciplinary dialogue and cooperation with transformation and so-called developing countries. Its largest funders are the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the sports ministry and the European Commission. It holds consultative status with ECOSOC, the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The institute is organised into three departments. VIDC Global Dialogue works as a think tank, reflecting on democracy, human rights, gender and migration as well as international economic and financial policy, presenting critical approaches to solidarity and giving civil-society movements from the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa a hearing in Austria through discussions, workshops, conferences and studies. kulturen in bewegung, the arts and culture unit, realises intercultural projects and promotes a diverse understanding of culture in Austria. The fairplay Initiative for Diversity and Anti-Discrimination works against racism in sport and football, acting as a counselling centre and competence centre and has become a recognised partner of UEFA. The VIDC also runs the podcast "Blickwechsel", hosted by director Sybille Straubinger, which foregrounds voices from the Global South. Sybille Straubinger has been director since August 2018, succeeding Walter Posch; Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek is president of the board of trustees (Kuratorium). The institute publishes reports, studies and a newsletter, and organises events, workshops and conferences on its thematic priorities: democracy and human rights, gender, migration and diaspora, economy, and climate justice, with regional focuses on Africa and the Middle East and North Africa.

The VIDC was founded in 1962, following the "Conference for Economic Cooperation and Partnership" held in Salzburg and Vienna in July 1962. It was established by Bruno Kreisky together with prominent politicians from the so-called "Third World", such as Tom Mboya of Kenya and Ahmed Ben Salah of Tunisia, as a think tank for global development-policy questions. This makes it the oldest civil-society development-policy organisation in Austria and one of the country's most tradition-rich institutions in development cooperation. The institute's core area initially focused on coordinating interdisciplinary knowledge networks and creating foundations for the operational programme and project development of Austrian development cooperation. Its main areas of work included poverty reduction, democratisation, governance and gender policy. From this core area the department "VIDC Global Dialogue" developed. In 1996, in the context of a large Africa festival, "Sura za Afrika", the impulse was given to found kulturen in bewegung, which began building its own cultural track at the VIDC and has since enriched the institute with hundreds of cultural events. Through intercultural projects, the department promotes a diverse understanding of culture and differentiated perspectives on development-policy and global contexts. In 1997, during the European Year against Racism, a further department was initiated: "FairPlay. Viele Farben. Ein Spiel.", today the "fairplay Initiative for Diversity and Anti-Discrimination", an initiative against racism in sport and football. It has since become a recognised partner of UEFA and has worked with various clubs. The VIDC continues to contribute its expertise at national and international level. Among other things, it holds consultative status with ECOSOC, the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its largest funders are the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the sports ministry and the European Commission. In August 2018, Sybille Straubinger became director, succeeding Walter Posch. Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek is president of the board of trustees. The institute runs the podcast "Blickwechsel", hosted by the director, which aims to give a hearing in Austria to activists and scholars from the Global South and from the VIDC's focus regions.

• 2018

  Sybille Straubinger becomes director in August, succeeding Walter Posch.

• 1997

  Initiation of "FairPlay. Viele Farben. Ein Spiel." during the European Year against Racism, today the fairplay Initiative for Diversity and Anti-Discrimination.

• 1996

  Impulse to found kulturen in bewegung in the context of the large Africa festival "Sura za Afrika".

• 1962

  Founded after the "Conference for Economic Cooperation and Partnership" in Salzburg and Vienna by Bruno Kreisky together with politicians from the "Third World" such as Tom Mboya and Ahmed Ben Salah.

Non-profit, non-governmental think tank and dialogue platform promoting critical public discourse, international dialogue on equal footing, intercultural understanding and anti-discrimination, with a focus on the Global South.

• VIDC Global Dialogue

  Think tank department reflecting on democracy, human rights, gender and migration as well as international economic and financial policy; organises discussions, workshops, conferences and studies.

• kulturen in bewegung

  Arts and culture unit realising innovative intercultural projects and promoting a diverse understanding of culture in Austria.

• fairplay Initiative for Diversity and Anti-Discrimination

  Initiative against racism in sport and football, acting as a counselling centre and competence centre with a focus on anti-discrimination, social inclusion, human rights and development.

• Podcast "Blickwechsel"

  VIDC podcast hosted by director Sybille Straubinger, foregrounding voices from the Global South.

1. 1VIDC official websitevidc.org
2. 2Geschichte des VIDCvidc.org
3. 3VIDC on Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org