Opinions

Forum Review on “Terror Attack, Security & Human Rights”

On March 17, 2021, SINOPRESS, together with Urban Forum, carried out an online forum concentrating on the topic of “Terror Attack, Security & Human Rights”. The honored panelists included Mag. Peter Florianschütz (Chairman of the Committee for European and International Affairs of the Vienna Municipal Council and State Parliament), Dr. Anat Hochberg-Marom (expert on global terrorism & radicalization, Israel), Dr. Georg Zanger (well-known lawyer in Vienna, President of ACBA), Prof. Franz Leidenmühler (Head of the Institute for European Law at the Johannes Kepler University Linz), Mag. Michael Weilguny (IT specialist/Manager, Vienna) and Dr. Franz Piribauer (public health expert, alma mater Harvard School…


The Upcoming Forum on “Terror Attack, Security & Human Rights”

After the terror attack on November 2, 2020 in Vienna, on top of the pandemic lockdown, the topic of security vs freedom cannot escape the public attention any more in Austria. In this context, SINOPRESS, together with Urban Forum, is initiating a forum intending to recall the very terror attack and to bring up the security issues of urban public spaces. The forum is also aiming to discuss such issues as the coordination of international legal instruments to prevent terrorist acts, the political challenges of cyber security, the social integration vs the religious freedom, the COVID-19 lockdown vs personal freedom,…


Message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

On 11. February 2021, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent an important message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science: “Advancing gender equality in science and technology is essential for building a better future. We have seen this yet again in the fight against COVID-19. Women, who represent 70 per cent of all healthcare workers, have been among those most affected by the pandemic and among those leading the response to it. Gender inequalities have increased dramatically in the past year, as women bear the brunt of school closures and working from home. Many women scientists are facing…


Message on the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Message on the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust on 27. January 2021 Today we honour the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others who were systematically murdered in the Holocaust by the Nazis and their collaborators. This year’s anniversary takes place under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has revealed longstanding fractures and injustices in our societies and contributed to a resurgence in antisemitism and xenophobia. The Holocaust was the culmination of two millennia of discrimination, attacks, expulsions and periodic mass killings of Jews. It…


A Lesson Vienna Should Learn after the Terrorist Attack

On November 2, 2020, Vienna was hit by a terrorist attack. 4 people were killed and 23 injured, of which more than 10 in critical situation. As a top livable city, Vienna enjoys a worldwide reputation for safety, tranquility, elegance, tolerance and good public infrastructure. The attack in this peaceful city is not only shocking, but also beyond belief.   The attack took place the night before the curfew ordered by the Austrian government due to the worsening situation of Covid-19. Many citizens came to the city center to enjoy the last-hour freedom in a “carnival” like mood. The area…


UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report 2020

UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report 2020   The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that wildlife crime is a threat not only to the environment and biodiversity, but also to human health.   The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 launched today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) emphasizes the threat that wildlife trafficking poses to nature and the biodiversity of the planet. The report highlights the trafficking of some wild species – pangolins, birds, turtles, tigers, bears and many more. When wild animals are poached from their natural habitat, butchered and sold illegally, the potential for transmission of…


UN Secretary-General’s Message on 75th Anniversary of UN Charter

Today we face a global pandemic.   Worldwide, people rightly raise their voices against racism.   Confronting problems is a start. But we also have to solve them.   We have a timeless guide to tackle our shared challenges and fix the world’s fragilities.   That guide is the United Nations Charter.   The Charter was signed 75 years ago – and its principles ring just as true today.   Faith in fundamental human rights.   The equal rights of men and women.   The dignity and worth of every person.   International law and the peaceful settlement of disputes….


Governments and International Organizations Together to Address Economic Challenges and Sustainability Related to COVID-19

  Governments and international organizations come together to address economic challenges and sustainability High-level event on financing solutions related to COVID-19 NEW YORK, 28 May (UN Information Service) — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau and the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, will convene world leaders and international organizations today in a joint initiative to sharpen and accelerate our global response to the significant economic and human impacts of COVID-19, and advance concrete solutions to the development emergency. This pandemic requires a large-scale, coordinated, comprehensive multilateral response to support countries in need, enabling…


Will Europe Face Food-Shortages?

In the shadow of the COVID-19 lockdown, food issues have become a major concern of the international community. As of 19. April this year, more than a dozen countries in the world have imposed export restrictions on agricultural products, including Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. The produces restricted or suspended include wheat, rice, eggs, potatoes, onions and buckwheat, etc.. Meanwhile, due to insufficient manpower and problems in the supply chain caused by the epidemic, agricultural products in many countries have been hampered in harvest or cannot be shipped out in a timely manner. Will the human world face…


UN Secretary-General Statement on Gender-Based Violence and COVID19

  The UN Secretary-General  António Guterres Statement on Gender-Based Violence and COVID19 New York, 5 April 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold human suffering and economic devastation around the world. I recently called for an immediate global ceasefire to focus on our shared struggle to overcome the pandemic. I appealed for an end to violence everywhere, now. But violence is not confined to the battlefield. For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest. In their own homes. And so I make a new appeal today for peace at home — and in homes…