Opinions

“Human Rights in Afghanistan” Organization Held its First Online Event

  On 20. October, the newly established organization “Human Rights in Afghanistan” with the objectives of knowing and investigating the human rights situation in Afghanistan, studying the causes and seeking solutions, informing and connecting with the Afghan population to learn about their situation, held their first online event. The event was attended by more than 70 participants around the world. The two-hour long discussion with five speakers followed by some questions of the listeners concentrated on such topic as the general situation of human rights today, political decisions and how they affect civilian populations, the military presence in Afghanistan in…


Message on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

On 26 September 2021, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a message to the whole world: “From the very start, addressing the existential threat of nuclear weapons has been central to the work of the United Nations. In 1946, the very first General Assembly resolution sought “the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.” Seventy-six years later, we have yet to achieve that resolution’s goals. As we mark this International Day of the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we face the…


Announcement of Online Forum on “Nobel Peace Prize and Peace-Making”

We are proud to announce the upcoming forum on Friday, 17. September, 2021 on the topic of „ Nobel Peace Prize and Peace-Making””, an event co-organized by URBAN FORUM and SINOPRESS.   Time: 3.30pm – 5.00pm CET Venue: Online Conference ZOOM Link: https://zoom.us/j/93279832199?pwd=Y1IwRVM2eFR5VXJ6WG85YUZOdUxrZz09 Meeting-ID: 932 7983 2199 Passcode: 631772   Agenda: Early this year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated that 329 candidates have been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Among the announced individuals and organizations are NATO, Alexei Navalny, Black Lives Matter, Martin Lee and Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, etc… The question is: What is the ultimate goal…


Privacy vs. Security in a Brave New World

  Privacy vs. Security in a Brave New World — Pegasus spyware and the problem of electronic mass surveillance for human rights and democracy By Mag. David Kainrath   Recent revelations about the Pegasus spyware are just the latest in a long row of disconcerting news of digital mass surveillance. At the heart of the problem lies the technological possibility for governments and companies to put everyone under complete electronic surveillance and thereby violate the human right to privacy. Apart from the severe loss of personal freedom that every individual suffers who is a victim of electronic spying, a political…


UN Statement on IPCC Report upon Global Heating

On 9. August 2021, The UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a statement on the IPCC working group I report on the physical science basis of the sixth assessment: Today’s IPCC Working Group 1 Report is a code red for humanity.  The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable:  greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk.  Global heating is affecting every region on Earth, with many of the changes becoming irreversible. The internationally agreed threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius is perilously close. We are at imminent…


Review of Forum on “the Role of NGOs in the Course of Human Civilization”

On Wednesday, 30. June, 2021, 10 NGOs from Switzerland, Israel, Hungary and Austria respectively gathered together for an online forum on the topic of „The Role of NGOs in the Course of Human Civilization”, an event co-organized by URBAN FORUM and SINOPRESS, moderated by Ms MMag. Alice Schmatzberger from ChinaCultureDesk. Topics discussed during the forum included problems in protecting human rights under international humanitarian law, definition and realization of human rights, role of cultural differences in interpreting human rights, security and human rights, hegemonial power and double moral standard, and the role of NGOs in the future course of humanity,…


Message of UN Secretary-General on the Four Millionth COVID-19 Death on 7. July, 2021

On 7. July, 2021, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a message about the Four Millionth Death from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Today the world marks yet another grim milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic. Four million souls have now been lost to the virus. This tragic toll is more than the population of one out of three countries on earth. Many of us know this loss directly and feel its pain. We mourn mothers and fathers who gave guidance, sons and daughters who inspired us, grandmothers and grandfathers who shared wisdom, colleagues and friends who lifted our lives. Vaccines offer a ray…


Danube Day 2021: “Discover Danube!”

  For Danube Day 2021, once again more than eighty million people in the 14 Danube countries are invited to celebrate the day, learn about the waters, experience the river, and #DiscoverDanube! Events will be held partially online this year with a small number of outdoor events taking place. While the situation has eased in the region, the pandemic continues, and necessary measures are in place to prevent the spread of the virus. As last year, Danube Day 2021 will mostly be celebrated with online events, except for a limited number of in-person ceremonies and prize-givings. This year, however, is special…


Forum on „The Role of NGOs in the Course of Human Civilization”

  We are proud to announce the upcoming forum on Wednesday, 30. June, 2021 focusing on the topic of „The Role of NGOs in the Course of Human Civilization”, an event co-organized by URBAN FORUM and SINOPRESS.   Time: 10am – 11.30am CET Venue: Online Conference ZOOM Link:  https://zoom.us/j/98457057125   Agenda: Surfing the internet these days, one can easily find innumerable amounts of NGOs dedicating to the course of human civilization, maintaining the decency of humanity, bringing to attention the forgotten parts of the world, fighting for human rights and offering a helping hand wherever necessary. As is justified, human…


Message by UN Secretary-General for the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

29 May 2021 sees this year’s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres sends the following message to the whole world: “The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers honours the more than one million women and men who have served on the frontlines of conflict and the more than 4,000 who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Their service and sacrifices will never be forgotten. “I express my deep gratitude to the 85,000 civilian, police and military personnel currently deployed in some of the world’s most challenging hotspots to protect the vulnerable and help…