Umbrella organization of all Austrian-foreign companies

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The umbrella organization of all Austrian-foreign societies - PaN (partner of all nations) is the umbrella organization of the currently 123 bilateral friendship societies based in Austria (status: July 2018) and acts as a network, service and information facility for them. The umbrella organization acts in particular as an interface between the friendship societies and the official institutions and authorities of the Republic of Austria.

history

The history of the bilateral friendship societies began shortly after the end of World War II with the establishment of the Austro-Soviet and Austrian-American Society in 1946. The allied occupying powers in Austria founded or promoted appropriate associations in order to achieve acceptance for their concerns and to bring the Austrians closer to their own culture. In the following years, a number of other friendship societies emerged.

In 1959, the forerunner organization of the umbrella association was founded, which was able to use the premises there for events in the Palais Pálffy in Vienna . It was expressly stated that the freedom of movement and the life of the individual companies would remain unaffected. Even back then, the working group initiated events which, on the one hand, gave bilateral friendship societies the opportunity to deepen mutual contacts and, on the other hand, were intended to promote the visibility of the societies. On November 13, 1985, the working group was officially registered as an association. The new office of the working group was set up at the Austrian Trade Association in Vienna's Eschenbachgasse. On March 12, 1986, the constituent general assembly of the new association took place, which at that time consisted of twenty-five ordinary member societies. For a short time the association had its seat in the premises of the "Association of Austrian Women Academics" in the Reitschulgasse in Vienna.

At the general assembly on February 27, 1990, Ministerialrat Jutta Seifert (Unkart-Seifert) was elected as the new president of the umbrella organization. Under their aegis, the diplomatic mission authorities were increasingly involved. In doing so, it consolidated the position of the Austrian-foreign companies in the international gears of Vienna. By the mid-1990s, the number of bilateral friendship societies had already increased to over forty. On April 3, 1997 a new board of the umbrella organization was elected. Most of them were active federal and state employees who were also involved in international and intercultural matters in their jobs. As a result of the responsibility of the Federal Ministry for Education and Cultural Affairs for the bilateral societies, an employee of the department, Ministerialrat Claus Walter, was assigned to look after these agendas and was elected as the new President; Vice-President was Oskar Wawra, Director of the Vienna City Administration. The headquarters of the umbrella organization was in the responsible Federal Ministry. The new management of the association made numerous efforts to give the Austrian-foreign companies an important status in the socio-political life of Austria. Maintaining contact with the diplomatic missions in Austria was intensified and numerous joint activities were made possible. A strategic entanglement with the "World Federation of Austrians Abroad" took place. Under Ministerialrat Walter, the number of bilateral friendship societies in the structure of the umbrella organization increased significantly; Numerous initiatives and events for international understanding were also implemented, which on the one hand served to improve the visibility of the umbrella organization and its concerns, and on the other hand emphasized and appreciated the activities of the individual companies.

The current name of the umbrella organization was decided at the General Assembly on April 22, 1999. On January 1, 2013, Oskar Wawra took over the presidency of the umbrella organization. Since 2014 there has been a strategic partnership with the Armed Forces Command of the Austrian Armed Forces , on the initiative of the then commander Lieutenant General Franz Reissner , which is based on the increasing focus on foreign missions of the Austrian Armed Forces. On November 2, 2016, Hermann Mückler, previously Vice President, was elected as the new President of the umbrella organization by the General Assembly for a term of four years. The board, whose members serve the umbrella organization on a voluntary basis in addition to their full-time activities, remained largely unchanged; Oskar Wawra became Vice President, Senator Walter Gerbautz acts as General Secretary.

Structure and function

The patron of the umbrella organization is the Federal President of the Republic of Austria , Alexander Van der Bellen since 2017 . The three Presidents of the National Council and Presidents of the Federal Council of the Austrian Parliament belong to the Honorary Presidium . The honorary board of trustees is formed by the nine governors . The executive board consists of seven members and manages the operative business. An advisory board is made up of leading personalities from corporations under public law. They are appointed by the board. They are the chief advisors and mentors of the board. The umbrella organization operates a general secretariat, which acts as a contact point, meeting point and postal address. The umbrella organization still finances its activities primarily through partners from the private sector.

The umbrella organization addresses itself in particular to the bilateral and multilateral friendship societies in Austria and abroad, to the central institutions abroad corresponding to the umbrella organization PaN, as well as to all corporations under public law, which promote mutual understanding, deepening friendship and assistance devote to building a peaceful society. In addition, close contact is maintained with the Austrian economy, which uses the network established by the umbrella association PaN for corporate lobbying, as well as with diplomatic and consular institutions at home and abroad, and finally with specialist NGOs.

The inclusion of a bilateral friendship society in the umbrella organization is bound by the requirement to commit to active, prejudice-free international understanding in the statutes and not to engage in any (party) political, ideologically or religiously motivated agitation . As a rule, an observation phase precedes the formal admission of a bilateral friendship society to the umbrella organization. With support prizes - so-called project support - the umbrella association promotes initiatives in which the stated goals are supported and achieved through the implementation of projects in the social, charitable, cultural, artistic and sporting fields. As part of the so-called PaN prizes, a selection committee, which also includes people who are not affiliated with the umbrella association, selects suitable successful projects and proposes them for awards. In addition, outstanding achievements by individuals as well as many years of successful activity are highlighted with special company and personality honors and brought to the visibility they deserve.

In 2016–2017, the umbrella organization was the subject of a social science research project by the Institute for Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University of Vienna , which examined the importance of civil society initiatives for international understanding. In the meantime, specialist articles on the network of friendship societies have been published and show that the visibility of the umbrella association and the bilateral societies in their opportunities and potential is reflected on different social levels.

PaN prices

As part of relevant events, e.g. B. the once a year project presentation "Companies in front of the curtain", the support prizes are handed over to the companies that have been awarded in this way. They serve the recognition of achievements and the visibility of the individual bilateral societies. There are both cash prizes and symbolic prizes. The following prizes are awarded annually:

  • PaN Prize of the Federal Ministry for Europe, International and Foreign Affairs
  • PaN Prize of the Province of Burgenland
  • PaN Personality Award
  • PaN Prize for the long-term commitment of a bilateral society of friendship.

Board of Directors (term of office 2016–2020)

  • President: Hermann Mückler
  • Vice President: Oskar Wawra
  • Secretary General: Walter J. Gerbautz
  • Board member: Alice Alsch-Harant
  • Board member: Marguerite Machek-Vos
  • Board member: Petra Schneebauer
  • Board member: Karl Semlitsch

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ History of the umbrella association of all Austrian-foreign companies , accessed on July 25, 2018
  2. ↑ Statutes of the umbrella association of all Austrian-foreign companies , accessed on July 25, 2018