Director-General/Executive Director Ms. Ghada Waly,

Executive Secretary Dr. Robert Floyd,

Deputy Director General Mr. LIU Hua,

Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director Ms. Cecilia Ugaz Estrada,

Vice President Mr. PENG Gang,

Chairman Mr. WANG Ping,

Distinguished colleagues, dear friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Welcome to the 2025 Vienna United Nations Chinese Language Day Celebration. It is our great pleasure to have the UN Vienna Office as the co-host of this year’s event. Today, we bring you a story written over thousands of years using the strokes of Chinese calligraphy.

More than 3000 years ago, Chinese people began writing with the calligraphy brush on bamboo slips, which were bound together to form “jiandu” -- one of the earliest forms of Chinese calligraphy and books. The bamboo slips displayed here today date back more than 2400 years, embodying two decades of efforts by Chinese philologists. Through their dedication in collecting, preserving, and cataloging thousands of bamboo slips, the words and wisdoms of two millennia ago now stand vividly before us. Covering diverse fields from philosophy, history, literature to mathematics. These artifacts - and many more that are thought to be long-lost - carry significant scholarly value and far-reaching impact.

During today’s event, you will witness renowned contemporary Chinese artists, calligraphers, and painters demonstrate the artistry of traditional Chinese brushwork. As President Xi Jinping said: The Chinese people will encourage creative shifts and innovative development of the Chinese civilization in keeping with the progress of the times. We need to inject new vitality into the Chinese civilization by energizing all cultural elements that transcend time, space, and borders, and that possess both perpetual appeal and current value. In this way, the Chinese civilization, together with the rich and colorful civilizations created by the people of other countries, will provide mankind with the right cultural guidance and strong motivation.

Dear colleagues, dear friends,

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, the Chinese delegates were the first to solemnly sign the UN Charter, using a Chinese calligraphy brush to write a remarkable chapter in world history. Since the restoration of People’s Republic of China’s lawful seat in the UN, China has represented the key force for peace, development, fairness and justice, and the Chinese language has conveyed the strongest voice of true multilateralism to the UN.

The UN Chinese Language Day is celebrated on the day of Guyu, or Rain of Millet, which is one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, symbolizing hope and warmth. It signifies the unstoppable steps of Spring, with the Spring rain nurturing growth and prosperity. President XI Jinping’s vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative offer China’s answers to global challenges and the construction of a better world. China will continue to work with all parties to firmly uphold the authority and status of the UN, safeguard the interests of developing countries, and actively practice true multilateralism. Together, we will bring stability to a world full of changes and turmoil and inject positive energy into building a more just and equitable global governance system.

I wish the 2025 Vienna United Nations Chinese Language Day event a great success. Thank you!