The Group of Friends of Global Governance Vienna Chapter was launched at the UN Office at Vienna on Tuesday.
The Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna hosted the launch ceremony alongside an event on the Global Governance Initiative.
More than 130 participants attended the event, including permanent representatives from over 40 countries -- comprising the group's founding members -- as well as Gerd Mueller, director general of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Anna Joubin-Bret, secretary of the UN Commission on International Trade Law.
Li Song, China's permanent representative to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna, said that the United Nations stands at a new crossroads as global challenges continue to emerge.
Li emphasized that the Global Governance Initiative proposed by China aligns with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, conforming to the trend of the times and reflecting the common aspirations of the international community.
The Vienna Chapter of the Group of Friends aims to facilitate exchange and cooperation among member states. It advocates for five core principles: sovereign equality, the international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach, and action-oriented results. This chapter seeks to revitalize, safeguard, and strengthen the United Nations while contributing to a more just and reasonable global governance system.
During the session, participants spoke actively to express their high-level recognition and support for the Global Governance Initiative. They commended China's vital leadership in supporting the UN's cause, advocating for multilateralism, maintaining fairness and justice, and improving the global governance framework. Attendees noted that the group's establishment is timely, expressing a commitment to strengthening coordination across Vienna's multilateral platforms to build broader consensus and make new contributions to safeguarding multilateralism and advancing the construction and reform of the global governance system.
Group of Friends of Global Governance Vienna Chapter officially launched
Iran poignantly marked the Persian Gulf National Day on Thursday with a series of commemorative events as Iranian officials stressed the country firmly opposes any actions that threaten the security of the region.
The Persian Gulf National Day is observed on the 10th day of Ordibehesht, the second month in the Iranian calendar, which this year landed on April 30.
The occasion celebrates the anniversary of Iran's 17th century reclamation of the Strait of Hormuz -- a key waterway for global trade which has become a focal point in recent weeks amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran -- with the event marking the end of Portugal's 115-year occupation of the Persian Gulf in 1622.
Among the many events was a concert entitled "That Persian Blue," delivered by the National Music Orchestra in Tehran, a pointed performance which underscored Iran's tradition of safeguarding the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway and resisting foreign intervention.
Officials attending the concert said the Persian Gulf is a vital corridor of Iranian civilization and a crucial avenue for trade and security. They condemned the military interventions by external forces which have caused chaos and instability in the region and stressed Iran's resolve to oppose any attempts to undermine its national security and that of the wider Gulf region.
"If there is any enlightenment that all the recent events have brought to this region, it is that countries in this region have the ability to maintain the security of the Persian Gulf, and only the people in the region have the right to maintain regional security -- no one else can do it," said Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei, the chief of staff for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
"The Iranian people have always been ready to resist invaders and any external invading forces. They trample on humanity, attack Iran, and undermine peace and friendship. The Iranian people will confront these forces with authority and unity," said the Deputy Minister of Culture for Media Affairs Mohammadreza Norouzpour.
President Pezeshkian also issued a defiant message on the same day, saying that the presence and interference of foreign forces in the region has only served to worsen tensions and undermine lasting peace, rather than improving security in the Persian Gulf.
He said that Iran, as a guardian of the Strait of Hormuz, will continue to uphold the principles of the freedom of navigation and maritime safety, except for hostile states.
Pezeshkian also stressed these principles must be based on respecting Iran's national sovereignty, adding that any insecurity in the waters should be blamed on the United States and Israel.
Iran poignantly marks Persian Gulf National Day with defiant call to resist foreign interference
