August 1979, Vienna

Austria joined the United Nations in 1955. Only two years later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established in Vienna, followed by the UNIDO in 1967. Positioning itself as an

international diplomatic hub was seen as a good insurance policy for the small, neutral country, located between rival nuclear powers. The government under Chancellor Josef Klaus wanted to establish Vienna as one of the United Nations’ four headquarters. In 1979, the Vienna International Centre – better known as UNO City – was opened. In 1982, more than 1.3 million people signed a national petition against the construction of a large conference venue next door. But since the petition was unsuccessful, building soon began on the Austria Center Vienna.