2026

Allgemein, Culture & Literature, Interviews, Opinions 28. June 2026

100. Birthday of Theodor Kanitzer Celebrated by PaN at Vienna’s City Hall

On 19. June this year, the long-time President of International Chopin Societies, Prof. Dr. Theodor Kanitzer, had his 100th birthday celebrated at the Vienna City Hall. Surrounded by around 350 guests from all over the world, Mr. Kanitzer’s presence was no less than a legendary inspiration. His life has been honored as an embodiment of civil courage and cultural exchange through peaceful dialogues and musical activities. A member of the Austro-Polish Society since 1953, Mr. Kanitzer became its executive president since 1971. This was followed in 1974 by the presidency of the International Chopin Societies. Together with the former Vice…

Opinions, Technology 20. June 2026

Turkish Interests in Eurasia – The Door to the Central Asian Corridor Stands Open

Written by Dominik Pietzcker and Serdar Yurtcicek In a few weeks, this year’s NATO summit will take place at the Presidential Palace in Ankara. The host is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who does not enjoy a particularly good reputation in the West due to his authoritarian style of governance and his unilateral security policy moves. Yet Turkey’s interests are directed not only westward, but also toward Central Asia. During the peak of the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015/2016, Erdoğan played a remarkable role. The EU paid over six billion euros to ensure that Turkey would not allow civil war…

Allgemein, Interviews, Opinions 11. June 2026

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Message for the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations 

We are living through a period of turbulence and transformation. Conflicts are raging. Inequalities are widening. And evolving technologies from AI to clean energy present us with critical choices about the future we want to create. Too often, differences are misunderstood or manipulated to undermine global solidarity. But there is a path forward: dialogue. Dialogue between nations, between cultures, between faiths. On this second International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, we recognize the power of open communication to solve even the most intractable global challenges. When we listen, talk and connect, we replace confrontation with cooperation, and tension with trust….

Allgemein, Culture & Literature, Interviews, Opinions, Technology 29. May 2026

The International Symposium on “75 Years since Peaceful Liberation: Achievements and Implications of Xizang’s Development” Grandly Opened in Lhasa 

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Xizang, Xizang University hosted an international symposium entitled “75 Years since Peaceful Liberation: Achievements and Implications of Xizang’s Development” on the 23. May. Overseas experts from Nepal, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Chile, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States, along with scholars from numerous domestic universities and research institutions, were invited to attend the conference. The opening ceremony was moderated by Zheng Yingning, President of Xizang University. In his welcome address, Sun Xianzhong, Secretary General of the University, stated that this was not only an academic event but also a…

Allgemein, Brief News Review, Opinions 14. May 2026

Brief News Review

On May 14, the US President Donald Trump paid a state visit to China. He was received by the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi also met with US business leaders accompanying Trump on his visit. During the talks, Xi Jinping pointed out that the world is undergoing rapid changes, and the international situation is complex and volatile. Can China and the US overcome the “Thucydides Trap” and create a new paradigm for major-country relations? Can they work together to address global challenges and inject more stability into the world? Can they…

Allgemein, Interviews, Opinions 18. April 2026

Remarks by the UN Secretary- General António Guterres to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the International Court of Justice 

Your Majesty, Mr. President, Distinguished Judges, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, Moments of crisis are moments of choice.  They reveal who we are – and what we stand for. Today, we come together in the quiet dignity of a city that is synonymous with justice and international law. But it is easy to forget the world of eighty years ago. Europe – and far beyond – lay in ruins. The Hague itself was scarred and shaken. And yet, in that dark and difficult moment, world leaders made a defining choice. A choice to reject a future ruled by coercion and violence…

Allgemein, Interviews, Opinions 24. March 2026

The US Strategic Withdrawal and China’s Opportunity

According to the “chaos theory” advocated by American neoconservatism in the post-Cold War era, hegemons must introduce a series of “strange attractors,” – based on the characteristics of the target region – to consolidate power and gain more benefits in the new era, such as ethnic or religious conflicts, terrorism, and territorial disputes. These goals are aimed at causing turmoil, thereby weakening, dismembering, and atomizing their opponents. At the same time, Western leaders do recognize the fragility of democracy and religious beliefs. So, how to implement this successfully? Firstly, by using the pretext of “clash of civilizations,” the Anglo-Saxon Protestant…

Allgemein, Interviews, Opinions, Technology 13. March 2026

On US-Russia-China Tripartite Balance of Power – Geopolitical Analyst YU Ligong’s Conversation with Gemini

Mr. YU: I believe the latest US “Defense Report” clearly indicates a future “US-Russia-China tripartite balance of power.” However, before the US retreats to the Western Pacific, it will disrupt relations between Europe and Russia, creating a large-scale refugee crisis in Europe and even potentially contributing to the collapse of the EU. Secondly, it will create chaos in the Middle East, triggering a global economic crisis and seizing the opportunity to acquire cheap equity, shares, and mining rights, even at the expense of Israel. In Asia, it will also instigate disputes in the South China Sea, a war in the Taiwan…

Allgemein, Chinese Community in Vienna, Culture & Literature 1. March 2026

Welcoming the Chinese Lantern Festival – Dazzling Masquerade Ball Held by the Austrian Overseas Chinese Retirees Association

As this year’s Lantern Festival (3rd of March)  is approaching, the Austrian Overseas Chinese Retirees Association held a dazzling masquerade ball on 28th of February. The event is a way of celebrating the traditional Chinese New Year but moreover, of showcasing the community’s integration into the local culture.  With flickering lights and flowing music, the festive atmosphere at the ball unfolded, lively, relaxed, pleasant, and elegant. The masked faces and elaborate clothing brought different personalities to familiar friends. Hearty laughter and big joy permeated every corner of the venue. Mr. Zhou Ti, deputy head of the ballroom dancing group, moderated the event. Mr….

Allgemein, Interviews, Opinions 25. February 2026

Review of the Panel Discussion on the Dalai Lama, Heinrich Harrer and Tibet Mythology

On January 20, 2026, a panel discussion in Vienna brought together scholars and public commentators to examine controversial questions surrounding the 14th Dalai Lama, his historical contact with Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, the role of Western intelligence during the Cold War, the legal status of religious succession in modern states, and the portrayal of Tibet in Western media. The event was framed as an effort to reassess what several speakers described as a “mythologized” Western understanding of and the Dalai Lama.The panel included Dr. phil. Agnes Kurtz (public policy and social affairs), Gabriel Radwan (media science), BA, Georg Vavra (historian…