February 2022

UN Emergency Special Session on Ukraine – The Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ Remarks to the General Assembly

The fighting in Ukraine must stop. It is raging across the country, from air, land and sea.   It must stop now. Russian missile and air bombardments are pounding Ukrainian cities day and night.  The capital, Kyiv, is encircled from all sides. In the face of the continuing attacks, Kyiv’s three million residents are being forced to seek safety in their homes, improvised bomb shelters, and in the city’s subways.   The Ukrainian government has distributed a meaningful number of arms to the population with the stated objective to participate in the defense of the country. According to UNHCR, half…


Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Closes Officially with a Cherished Ceremony

The Olympic Winter Games 2022 has come to an end following a spectacular closing ceremony at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing on 20th Febuary, after 14 days of top performances by the athletes who kept the world thrilled and entertained. Mirroring the last Games held in the city of Beijing in 2008, the Olympic flame was ceremonially extinguished, and fireworks sparkled overhead, forming the shape of the Olympic Rings. Over the past 16 days the world has watched the greatest winter athletes compete against each other for the highest honors. As they took their place among the parade of…


Review of Online Forum on “Sports vs Politics”

On 3. February 2022, one day before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Austrian experts from sports, politics and culture gathered at the online forum co-organized by Urban Forum and SINOPRESS to discuss about the relationship between sports and politics in today’s world. The panelists include Dr. Peter Wittmann, Former State Secretary in the Federal Chancellery for Europe, Arts and Sport, Former President of the Austrian Federal Sports Organization as well as the Paralympics; Mr. Ernst Woller, Chairman of the Sports Committee of the City of Vienna for more than two decades, President of the Vienna State…


Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: One World, One Family

On 4. February 2022, the XXIV Olympic Winter Games kicked off in spectacular fashion with a stunning Opening Ceremony at the Beijing National Stadium. As of noontime, 8. February, the ranking shows China on the top with 3 gold medals and 2 silver ones, and Austria on the 4th place with 2 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, in between is Sweden on the 2nd place with 2 gold and 1 silver, as well as ROC on the 3rd place 2 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze. In his address during the ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach praised the athletes for their resilience…