User:Jamesofur/Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs

The Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs (German: Akademisches Forum für Außenpolitik, abbreviated "AFA"), is an Austrian non-partisan organization for young people, students and graduates interested in international issues. The section of AFA-Vienna is located in the Stallburg which is a part of the Spanish Horse-riding School in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

The Mission

In times when solutions to political and economic as well as social and ecological problems can no longer be solved within the national frameworks, when integration and globalization are leading paradigms, young people are expected to be dynamic and open-minded. The AFA was founded in 1991 after the model of its predecessor organizations, which had its roots back to the times after World War I, and since then has tried to face these challenges. AFA and UN

Being also the United Nations Youth and Student Association of Austria, AFA is at the same time the independent youth branch of the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria (UNA-AUSTRIA). Therefore, AFA has committed itself to the spirit of the Charta of the United Nations and understands itself as a link between the UN and the youth. As a founding member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations - Youth (WFUNA-YOUTH) AFA is in-corporated into a worldwide network of like-minded organizations. AFA is represented all over Austria and has a federal structure with the AFA-AUSTRIA and its local branches in GRAZ, INNSBRUCK, KLAGENFURT, LINZ, SALZBURG and VIENNA. Since 2006 AFA is member of the Austrian National Youth Council, the legal institution of the Republic of Austria for the representation of the youth to the political decision makers. Activities

In the frame of single events or projects every year nearly 200 different activities are taking place all over Austria, devoted to the most diverse international topics. - Presentations, Panel Discussions, Seminars and Workshops - Visits to Embassies and other International Institutions - Excursions and Study Trips - Participation at International Conferences - Rhetoric Trainings (DEBATING CLUB) - UN-Simulation Conferences (VIMUN and HISTOMUN) - Information Activities at schools (UN AND SCHOOLS) - Working Group to Security Policy - Magazine GLOBAL VIEW - Informal Meetings ("Social Activities") DEBATING CLUB

Following the international example AFA in 2004 established the first DEBATING CLUB in Vienna to train a rhetoric and argumentation techniques through structured discussions. In addition rhetorik courses are offered. Model United Nations (VIMUN)

The first Vienna International Model United Nations (VIMUN), an UN-Simulation Conference for students and graduates from all over the world, was organized by AFA on the occassion of the festivities of the Austrian Federal Government for the 50-years Anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations in 1995. Since then VIMUN, as the only event of this kind worldwide taking place entirely at an UN Headquarter, has become the annual highlight of the AFA-Program. Participants at VIMUN have the task, to take the role of a state representative and to negotiate the position of the assigned country to a previously chosen topic. VIMUN should give participants the opportunity to open the window to the UN and to obtain a short insight into the world of diplomacy. It provides the possibility to get acquainted with the working procedures of the United Nations and to get in contact with about 250 participants from almost 40 different nations. The Vienna International Historic Model United Nations (HISTOMUN) simulates past UN Security Council Meetings. UN AND SCHOOLS

AFA offers under the slogan UN AND SCHOOLS presentations to interested schools about the United Nations and Austria. In addition, excursions to the Vienna UNO City are offered. Further, AFA is supporting schools in their implementation of UN-related projects. Working Groups

In Working Groups AFA members have the possibility to work with selected topics. Currently a Working Group to Security Policy (STUDENTS INITIATIVE FOR SECURITY POLICY) is established. GLOBAL VIEW

The by AFA in co-operation with the Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria (UNA-AUSTRIA) published magazine GLOBAL VIEW understands itself as an information and discussion platform for students and personalities of the “Foreign Affairs Establishment” and provides authors with the opportunity to publish their opinions about foreign and world political topics. Partners

The financing of the activities of AFA happens through funding from the public sector and through partnerships with interested private companies. At many events AFA counts on the co-operation with other institutions. Membership and AFA-Team

AFA has got about 4000 members in Austria and about 2500 interested people all over the world. The membership at AFA is open to all interested persons up to the age of 35. All activities and projects of AFA are being organized by about 150 active members and are conducted on a voluntary basis.

Copyright (c) 2010 Marc E. Melich Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".