DEAR MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND FRIENDS OF VIENNA ECONOMIC FORUM! HONOURED PRIME MINISTERS – PATRONS! EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AMBASSADORS! DISTINGUISHED HONORARY MEMBERS!
The year 2023 marked a significant milestone in the success story of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF)!
On the 13th of November 2023, in the Festivity Hall of the Vienna City Hall, all of us – had the excellent feeling of being an immanent part of this success story, by organising and celebrating the 20th Jubilee Vienna Economic Forum – Vienna Future Dialogue 2023!
Registered on 24th of April 2004, under Austrian Association Law, VEF has evolved remarkably over the years. Remaining true to its founding vision, VEF has steadily progressed in its mission and achieved several milestones. It has attained the esteemed Status of an International Non-Governmental Organization (Int. NGO) as per Austrian law; VEF holds Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN); VEF is registered in the Transparency Register of the European Union (EU) and the European Commission (EC). Today, VEF proudly flies its own flag at the VEF headquarters, located in the ambassador’s quarter in Vienna. This emblematic presence symbolizes VEF’s commitment to its mission and its esteemed stature in the international community.
We proudly stand today, reflecting on 20 years of progress since the beginning, observing the successful development of economic cooperation among entrepreneurs from the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum – Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine – throughout these years.
The recognitions received for VEF’s 20 years of dedicated work, acknowledging its longstanding activities in the region and exceptional contributions to international and intercultural understanding, serve as motivation for the VEF Team to persist in consolidating the VEF Region “From the Adriatic to the Black Sea.”
Throughout these years, Vienna Economic Forum has remained committed to its founding goals and encapsulates the vision that inspired the VEF founding in 2004: – To popularize and promote investment opportunities in the region from the Adriatic to the Black Sea. – To provide impulses and, based on research, joint projects required in the region for shortterm, medium-term, and long-term realization, and promoting their implementation. – To become a place of definition, encounter, and of realising the public and private interests in connection with the various projects in the region as part of united Europe. – To pursue a strategy fostering economic cooperation and the development of VEF member countries as a cohesive region, forming a “VEF Economic Area”.
We express our gratitude to all VEF members and partners who have supported VEF over the years, contributing to its growth and serving as a symbol of unity for the region. Many of them joined the 20th Jubilee Vienna Economic Forum, offering words of support and praise and honouring the success story of Vienna Economic Forum – 20 years of active and remarkable work, as well as its pivotal role in economic diplomacy over the past two decades.
A sincere thank you goes out to all of you, dear Members, Partners, and Friends of Vienna Economic Forum, for your longstanding trust and support, for joining us in the work and in celebrating all 20 Years and the 20th anniversary of Vienna Economic Forum! We invite you to continue to be with us in all future activities and upcoming jubilees, as we strive for many more successful years of collaborative work and achievement, for better international and intercultural understanding in the Region “From the Adriatic to the Black Sea” and beyond.
Sincerely yours,
Amb. Dr. Emil Brix Amb. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva
President Secretary General