Our mission is to inform, connect and empower business, politics and society to build a bridge between Europe, Asia and beyond.

๐ŸŒ• ๐—–๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฒ๐—ฏ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐— ๐—ถ๐—ฑ-๐—”๐˜‚๐˜๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ป ๐—™๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—น On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, we at the Global Neighbours family extend our warmest wishes to all our friends, partners and their families. Under the same moon, across mountains and seas, we are reminded of the connections that bring together people, cultures and countries. ๐Ÿค๐ŸŒ On this festival of reunion, may we cherish these connections, deepen understanding through dialogue, and bring people closer through exchange. Wishing everyone a joyful Mid-Autumn Festival filled with happiness, peace and togetherness. ๐Ÿฅฎ ๐ŸŒ• ๆœˆๆปกไธญ็ง‹๏ผŒๅ…ฑ่ฏๅ›ขๅœ† ๅ€ผๆญคไธญ็ง‹ไฝณ่Š‚๏ผŒๅคฉ้‚ปๆ™บๅบ“ๅคงๅฎถๅบญๅ‘ๆ‰€ๆœ‰ๆœ‹ๅ‹ใ€ๅˆไฝœไผ™ไผดๅŠๅฎถไบบ่‡ดไปฅๆœ€่ฏšๆŒš็š„่Š‚ๆ—ฅ็ฅ็ฆใ€‚ ไธ€่ฝฎๆ˜Žๆœˆ๏ผŒ่ทจ่ถŠๅฑฑๆตท๏ผŒไนŸ่ฟžๆŽฅ็€ไธๅŒ็š„ๅ›ฝๅฎถใ€ๆ–‡ๅŒ–ไธŽไบบไปฌใ€‚๐Ÿค๐ŸŒ ๆ„ฟๆˆ‘ไปฌๅœจ่ฟ™ไธช่ฑกๅพๅ›ขๅœ†็š„่Š‚ๆ—ฅ้‡Œ๏ผŒ็ๆƒœๅฝผๆญค็š„่ฟžๆŽฅ๏ผŒไปฅๅฏน่ฏๅขž่ฟ›็†่งฃ๏ผŒไปฅไบคๆตๆ‹‰่ฟ‘่ท็ฆปใ€‚ ็ฅๅคงๅฎถไธญ็ง‹ๅฟซไน๏ผŒ้˜–ๅฎถๅฎ‰ๅบท๏ผ๐Ÿฅฎ
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What does privilege ask of us? At a seminar hosted by @UNICEFHK under its Young Envoys Programme, our CEO @sidchat1, Honorary Advisor to UNICEF HK, spoke with young people about what nearly 30 years with the United Nations have taught him. He shared what he witnessed in Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq: children denied an education, schools destroyed by violence, girls subjected to harmful practices. His message to the next generation was clear. Stability, schooling and clean water are a "massive privilege," and gratitude should turn into action against inequality. The young envoys took his words to heart. They spoke about inequality as a web of poverty, health and education, about the fact that no child chooses where they are born, and about empathy, courage and compassion as the foundations of young leadership. At Global Neighbours, we believe dialogue across regions and generations is where lasting solutions begin. #GlobalNeighbours #UNICEF #YouthLeadership #Inequality #ChildRights #Education
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As the centre of gravity in global affairs increasingly shifts towards Asia, building bridgesโ€”not wallsโ€”matters more than ever. ๐ŸŒ We are honoured to hear from Professor Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k , renowned Singaporean diplomat, scholar and author. A former Singapore ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Ambassador to the United Nations and Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Professor Mahbubani has spent decades reflecting on Asiaโ€™s changing relationship with the world. In his message, he shares why Tracks to the Future comes at such an important moment. Global Neighboursโ€™ โ€œThink Trainโ€ will bring leaders and thinkers from Europe and Asia together on a journey from Duisburg to Xiโ€™anโ€”creating space to listen, build trust and explore a shared future. ๐Ÿš†๐Ÿค At a time of growing fragmentation, Tracks to the Future is built on a simple idea: connection. As Professor Mahbubani reminds us, the 21st century will depend on our ability to engage across differences and better understand one another. ๐ŸŒ Thank you, Professor Mahbubani, for sharing your perspective and supporting this journey. #TracksToTheFuture #GlobalNeighbours #KishoreMahbubani #EuropeAsia #Dialogue #Connectivity #Eurasia
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A very good meeting in Vienna with H.E. Ambassador Edwin Afande, MBS, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Kenya to Austria. ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น I briefed the Ambassador on Tracks to the Futureโ€”Global Neighboursโ€™ forthcoming โ€œThink Trainโ€ journey connecting Europe, Central Asia and China, bringing together leaders from business, government, science, culture and civil society to listen, exchange ideas and explore what connects us in an increasingly fragmented world. ๐Ÿš†๐ŸŒ We also discussed our plans to expand the Global Neighbours platform to Kenya, building on the deep personal and professional ties that have connected me to the country for many years. Kenya has a distinctive role to play as a bridge between Africa and the wider world, and I look forward to exploring how our work can contribute to new conversations and partnerships. Grateful to Ambassador Afande and his team for the warm welcome and the spirit of openness and collaboration. The future will be built not by choosing sides, but by building bridges. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿค @SingoeiAKorir @KenyaMissionUN @ForeignOfficeKE #TracksToTheFuture #GlobalNeighbours #Kenya #Africa #Diplomacy #Multilateralism #Partnerships
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This October, we get on the think train. ๐Ÿš‚ I, Jovanka Porsche founded Global Neighbours and we have our flagship project-Tracks to the Future with a simple conviction: in a world ๐ŸŒŽ of growing fragmentation, we need more journeys that bring people together. ๐Ÿค Journeys that take us beyond our familiar horizons. Journeys that make us listen to perspectives different from our own. Journeys that remind us of what connects us. On board will be entrepreneurs, political leaders, scientists, artists and thinkersโ€”people who may see the world differently, but share a willingness to listen, question and engage. ๐ŸŒฑ Because on a train, perspectives change. As landscapes, cultures and borders pass outside the window, conversations unfold inside. Our journey will travel from Europe through Tรผrkiye and Central Asia, and ultimately to Chinaโ€”connecting places, people and ideas along the way. ๐ŸŒ In a world increasingly defined by division, we choose connection. Tracks to the Future is more than a journey across geography. It is an experiment in dialogueโ€”and an invitation to imagine new possibilities for Europe and Asia to understand one another, work together and shape a shared future. The future will not be built by standing apart. It will be built by getting on board. Are you ready? Welcome on board. ๐Ÿš†โœจ #TracksToTheFuture #GlobalNeighbours #Europe #Asia #Dialogue #Cooperation #Future
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Building bridges, one conversation at a time. ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น๐ŸŒ It was a pleasure to meet with H.E. Marko Blagojeviฤ‡, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ to Austria ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น in Vienna. I briefed the Ambassador on Tracks to the Future โ€” our initiative to bring together leaders from business, government, academia, science and culture, travelling across borders and perspectives at a time when the world ๐ŸŒŽ risks becoming increasingly fragmented. I also expressed my sincere appreciation to the Government of Serbia ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ for its support and for helping convene important engagements in Belgrade this October, when the Think Train arrives in the city. Belgrade will be an important stop on this journey โ€” a place where history, business, diplomacy and culture intersect, and where meaningful conversations about our shared future can take place. The real value of a journey like this is not simply the distance we travel, but the people we meet, the perspectives we exchange and the bridges we build along the way. From Duisburg ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช, Vienna ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น to Belgrade ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ and beyond โ€” let the conversations begin. ๐Ÿš‚ #TracksToTheFuture #GlobalNeighbours #Serbia #Austria #Belgrade #Diplomacy #Dialogue #Connectivity #Multilateralism
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Today in Vienna Austria ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น, a warm and substantive meeting with Ambassador Marรญa Aurora Mejรญa Errasquรญn, Ambassador of Spain ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ to Austria, at the historic Spanish Embassy on Schwarzenbergplatz โ€” a former Ringstrasse-era palace Spain has called home since 1927. Ambassador Mejรญa brings a remarkable career to the role: postings from Bucharest ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด to Brasรญlia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท to NATO, service as Special Envoy for Gender Equality and later to Afghanistan ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ซ and Pakistan, ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฐ and most recently running the machinery behind Spain's 2023 EU Council Presidency. I had the opportunity to brief her on the work of Global Neighbours @Global_Neighbrs in advancing Europe-Asia dialogue and strategic cooperation. I took the opportunity to commend Spain ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ for the principled, steady leadership it showed in managing the migration crisis that unfolded on its shores in Ceuta โ€” a moment that tested Europe's values, and one in which Spain's response stood out. Grateful ๐Ÿ˜Š for the exchange and for the Ambassador's time, and looking forward to building on this dialogue. #GlobalNeighbours #Diplomacy #Spain #Austria #Vienna #EuropeAsiaDialogue #Ceuta @SpainUN @SpainUNGeneva @EmbEspAustria @EmbEspChina @sanchezcastejon
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๐ŸŒ โ€œ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ป๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐˜๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—š๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—š๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒโ€ โ€” ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ณ๐˜‚๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐—บ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ฎ. ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น Global Neighbours and @CIRSD - Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development came together for the Vienna launch of Horizons โ€” Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development, Summer 2026, Issue No. 35, bringing together distinguished voices from diplomacy, politics, business and academia. The discussion took its starting point from โ€œ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—”๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—น: ๐—ช๐—ต๐˜† ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ช๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฑ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ ๐—ช๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—š๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐˜€ ๐—”๐—น๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฒ,โ€ an article by Jovanka Porsche, Founder and Chairwoman of Global Neighbours, and @sidchat1, CEO of Global Neighbours and former United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. Their central argument is clear: renewing multilateralism will require governments to leadโ€”but also a wider ecosystem of actors willing to build trust, create partnerships and turn dialogue into practical cooperation. The conversation was opened and moderated by H.E. @jeremic_vuk, President of CIRSD - Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development, Editor-in-Chief of Horizons and President of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and joined by H.E. Prof. Dr. Igor Lukลกiฤ‡, former Prime Minister of Montenegro and Visiting Fellow of Global Neighbours. From ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐Ÿฎ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ง๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐Ÿญ.๐Ÿฑ ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜† and public-private partnerships to Europeโ€™s role in an increasingly multipolar world and the post-2030 development agenda, the discussion moved beyond what is wrong with the international system to ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐˜„๐—ฒ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฑ๐—ผ ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ถ๐˜. As Ms. Porsche emphasised, Global Neighbours is a โ€œthink-and-do tankโ€โ€”not simply creating spaces for conversation, but working to translate those conversations into relationships, partnerships and action. ๐—œ๐—ป ๐—ฎ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฑ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ฏ๐˜† ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐˜€, ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜€ ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜. ๐—œ๐˜ ๐—บ๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ณ๐˜‚๐—น ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜. Our sincere thanks to CIRSD, our speakers and everyone who joined us for a candid and substantive exchange in Vienna. ๐Ÿ“– Read โ€œThe Architecture of Survivalโ€ in Horizons Issue No. 35 #GlobalNeighbours #Horizons #CIRSD #Multilateralism #GlobalGovernance #Track2Diplomacy #Diplomacy #InternationalCooperation #Vienna
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It was a privilege to welcome Mr. Daniel R. Fung, SBS, SC, QC, JP, FCIArb, to Global Neighbours in Vienna Austria ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น for a warm and substantive exchange of views. Mr. Fung is one of Hong Kong's ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ most distinguished legal minds โ€” he served as Solicitor General of Hong Kong (1994โ€“1998) under Governor Chris Patten and continued in that role under the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, C H Tung. A specialist in complex commercial litigation, public law, and China-United States ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ relations, he has held visiting positions at Harvard Law School ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ and Yale Law School, and is a Distinguished Fulbright Scholar. Beyond his legal career, Mr. Fung serves as Chairman of the United Nations ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ณ Peace & Development Foundation, Chairman of the Board of International Bridges to Justice, President of the International Law Association Hong Kong Chapter, and a Senior Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar โ€” a testament to his lifelong commitment to justice, the rule of law, and international cooperation. Our conversation touched on the evolving dynamics between Asia, Europe, and the wider world โ€” a reminder of how vital these bridges of dialogue remain in our times. Grateful for his insights and for the opportunity to continue building meaningful connections across continents at Global Neighbours. #GlobalNeighbours #Vienna #Diplomacy #InternationalLaw #RuleOfLaw #ChinaAsiaEurope #Mediation #GlobalCooperation
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๐ŸŒ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐˜๐˜‚๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐—ฏ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—น๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ถ๐—น๐—น ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐˜ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†? Today in Viennaย ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น, Global Neighbours and the @CIRSD - Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development will come together for a discussion marking the launch of the Summer 2026 issue ofย Horizons โ€” Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development, titledย โ€œ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ป๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—Ÿ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐˜๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—š๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—š๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ฒ.โ€ Global Neighbours Founder and Chairwomanย Jovanka Porscheย and CEO @sidchat1 will contribute to a conversation taking its starting point from their new essay,ย โ€œThe Architecture of Survival: Why the World Cannot Wait for Governments Alone,โ€ย which poses a fundamental question:ย ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ ๐˜„๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜„ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฎ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฑ? At a time of growing geopolitical fragmentation and declining trust, governments and multilateral institutions remain indispensableโ€”but they cannot carry the weight alone. Think tanks, civil society, business and other independent actors can help build trust, keep channels of dialogue open and prepare the ground for official diplomacy. Ms. Porsche and Mr. Chatterjee will be joined byย H.E. Prof. Dr. Igor Lukลกiฤ‡, former Prime Minister of Montenegro and former Fellow of Global Neighbours. The conversation will be opened and moderated byย H.E. @jeremic_vuk, President of CIRSD, Editor-in-Chief ofย Horizonsย and President of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. ๐—œ๐—ป ๐—ฎ ๐—ณ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฑ, ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐—บ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ. ๐—œ๐˜ ๐—บ๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฑ. We look forward to a candid and substantive exchange in Vienna. ๐Ÿ“– ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ณ๐˜‚๐—น๐—น ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ: cirsd.org/horizon-article/thโ€ฆ #GlobalNeighbours #Horizons #CIRSD #Multilateralism #GlobalGovernance #Diplomacy #Track2Diplomacy #InternationalCooperation #Vienna
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Thank you ๐Ÿ™ for dropping by @ShashiTharoor. It was a pleasure to welcome you to Global Neighbours. At a time of profound geopolitical change, building bridges between Europe and Asia is not merely desirableโ€”it is essential. We look forward to working with voices such as yours to deepen understanding, dialogue and cooperation across our two regions. ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ๐ŸŒ ๐Ÿค @Global_Neighbrs
Replying to @ShashiTharoor
Today, in Vienna, i visited the offices of @Global_Neighbrs, whose mission is to promote closer relations between Europe and Asia โ€” an objective I heartily endorse.
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Delighted to see you in Alpbach ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น Shashi โ€” โ€œindolent,โ€ though I suspect youโ€™re the last person on earth that word truthfully describes! My Five to Thrive actually grew out of the opposite instinct: watching decades of relentless motion (yours included, across Parliament, the UN, and a shelf of books) and asking what keeps the engine running without burning it out. Grateful too for Jovanka Porscheโ€™s vision in building @Global_Neighbrs as a real bridge between Europe and Asia โ€” conversations like ours at Alpbach are exactly the kind of โ€œneighbourlinessโ€ the moment demands. Onward!
At European @forumalpbach, was happy to meet Jovanka Porsche, founder and Chair of a remarkable new organisation called @Global_Neighbrs, whose new CEO is my former @un colleague @sidchat1 (in pic). It was great to receive a copy of his new book โ€œFive to Thriveโ€ which advises indolent people like me on how to transform their lives!
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๐Ÿ”๏ธ Taking dialogue beyond the conference room. At #EFA26, Global Neighbours brought leaders, students and young professionals onto the Bรถglerwiese trail to explore where Europe and Asia can still find common ground. Moderated by Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee @sidchat1 , the hike brought together Ms. Jovanka Porsche, Mr. Gyude Moore @gyude_moore , H.E. Mr. Vladimir Norov @VladimirNorov and Dr. Philipp Rรถsler @philipproesler for an open exchange on Europeโ€“Asia relations, Africa, Central Asia, trade, climate and AI. The mountain setting was more than a backdrop. Walking together allowed conversations to continue naturally between stops and created space for dialogue and candid questions. After nearly three hours on the trail, the group returned with new connections, fresh perspectives and renewed interest in continued Europeโ€“Asia dialogue. @forumalpbach #GlobalNeighbours #EuropeanForumAlpbach #EFA26 #EuropeAsia #Dialogue
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๐Ÿ”๏ธ Converging Crises, Shared Responses: Can Europe and Asia Find Common Ground? Good morning โ˜€๏ธ. Today Thursday, 3 September, Global Neighbours @Global_Neighbrs is taking a conversation that usually happens in conference rooms โ€” out onto a mountain.โ›ฐ๏ธ As part of European Forum Alpbach 2026, @forumalpbach weโ€™re hosting a hike along the Bรถglerwiese trail (Circular Hiking Trail 2 โ€“ CCA โ€“ Bรถglerwiese โ€“ Hausberg โ€“ Trat Loop), where Iโ€™ll have the privilege of moderating a small group of brilliant and distinguished speakers. We will walk and talk through one of the defining questions of our time: at a moment of deep political tension between Europe and Asia, where does real cooperation still have a chance? No stage. No slides. Just a trail, fresh air, and four people whoโ€™ve lived this question from very different vantage points: ๐Ÿ”น Jovanka Porsche โ€” Founder & Chairwoman, Global Neighbours The builderโ€™s perspective: what it takes to create a genuine platform for Europe-Asia dialogue when the political winds are blowing the other way. ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ”น Gyude Moore โ€” Distinguished Fellow, The Energy Growth Hub | Former Minister of Public Works, Liberia ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ท The view from Africa: what Europe-Asia cooperation actually looks like on the ground โ€” where it delivers, and where it fails the people itโ€™s meant to serve. ๐Ÿ”น Vladimir Norov โ€” Chairman, Central Asian Association for AI | Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Uzbekistan ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฟ The bridge-builderโ€™s playbook: decades spent navigating Central Asia between major powers without being forced to pick a side โ€” and what that teaches Europe and Asia now. ๐Ÿ”น Philipp Rรถsler โ€” Secretary-General, Global Neighbours | CEO, Consessor AG | Former Vice-Chancellor of Germany ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช The dealmakerโ€™s lens: where politics and finance actually disagree about cooperation, and why business partnerships may move faster than diplomacy. We will be hiking alongside a wonderful group of students, fellows, and first-time Forum attendees who are exactly the generation that will inherit whatever we build (or fail to build) between these two regions. ๐Ÿ“ Bรถglerwiese Trail, Alpbach, Austria ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Thursday, 3 September 2026 | 9:00โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿฅพ Very easy hike, ca. 2.66 km โ€” bring your questions, not your hiking bootsโ€™ worth of doubt If youโ€™re at #EFA2026, come find us on the trail. #EuropeanForumAlpbach #GlobalNeighbours #EuropeAsiaCooperation #Diplomacy #Multilateralism #EFA2026
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Europe is not merely navigating a changing world. It has a choice in shaping it. ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ๐ŸŒ That is the question I look forward to exploring today at the European Forum Alpbach in a timely conversation on โ€œEnvisioning the Europe We Build.โ€ The international order is being rewrittenโ€”by geopolitics, technology, markets and the emergence of new centres of influence. In such a world, Europeโ€™s greatest asset may be neither its military weight nor its economic size, but its ability to think independently, build partnerships and bring people together across divides. Having spent nearly three decades working in the United Nations ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ณ, including most recently as Resident Coordinator in China ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ, I have seen first-hand the importanceโ€”and the difficultyโ€”of keeping channels of dialogue open when the world ๐ŸŒŽ is increasingly defined by rivalry. I will argue that Europeโ€™s strategic autonomy should not mean strategic isolation. Europe can be confident in its values without becoming captive to geopolitical binaries. Its engagement with China, the Global South and other emerging powers should be guided not by the logic of choosing sides, but by the pursuit of common interests, mutual respect and a renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation. ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿค๐ŸŒŽ The question, therefore, is not simply โ€œHow does Europe win?โ€ Perhaps the more consequential question is: What kind of Europe can help the world win? I look forward to an engaging discussion with Maria Kalesnikava and Sandrine Dixson-Declรจve, moderated by Reiner Reitsamer, and to exchanging perspectives with the exceptional community gathered here in Alpbach, Austria ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น @forumalpbach @Global_Neighbrs @KernChri ๐Ÿ“ Congress Centrum Alpbach, Herz-Kremenak-Hall ๐Ÿ•” 17:00โ€“18:30 #EFA26 #HowEuropeWins #EuropeanForumAlpbach #Europe #Multilateralism #GlobalSouth #China #GlobalCooperation
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At #EFA26, Global Neighbours convened โ€œBeyond Bretton Woods: Europe and Asia in the Next Era of Global Financeโ€ โ€” a timely conversation on how Europe and Asia can strengthen cooperation in finance, artificial intelligence and development. ๐ŸŒ Opening remarks were delivered by Mag. Christian Kern, President of Global Neighbours, Vice President of the European Forum Alpbach and former Federal Chancellor of Austria. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Gene Ma, Chief APAC Representative and Head of China Research at the Institute of International Finance. Panellists: โ€ข Prof. Dr. Feiyu Xu, University Professor of Industry AI at the German University of Digital Science โ€ข Mr. Gerald Podobnik, Global Co-Head of the Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank โ€ข Ms. Jovanka Porsche, Founder and Chairwoman of Global Neighbours โ€ข Mr. Gyude Moore, former Minister of Public Works of Liberia Together, they explored practical opportunities for cooperation in sustainable finance, capital markets, industrial AI, resilient supply chains and development. As an Advanced Partner of the @forumalpbach , Global Neighbours is committed to creating spaces for constructive dialogue between Europe, Asia and beyond. Thank you to our speakers, partners and everyone who joined the conversation in Alpbach. #GlobalNeighbours #EuropeanForumAlpbach #EuropeAsia #GlobalFinance #ArtificialIntelligence #SustainableFinance #InternationalCooperation #Dialogue
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๐†๐ฅ๐จ๐›๐š๐ฅ ๐๐ž๐ข๐ ๐ก๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐„๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ž๐š๐ง ๐…๐จ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐€๐ฅ๐ฉ๐›๐š๐œ๐ก ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” ๐š๐ฌ ๐š๐ง ๐€๐๐ฏ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž๐ ๐๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ง๐ž๐ซ @forumalpbach. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to dialogue, international cooperation and bringing diverse perspectives together at a time when global challenges increasingly cross borders. At #EFA26, Global Neighbours will contribute to the programme through two conversations connecting European, Asian and global perspectives on some of the defining questions of our time โ€” from the future of global finance to how regions can respond together to converging crises. For us, partnership means more than being present. It means creating space for meaningful exchange, building bridges across regions and sectors, and exploring where cooperation can move forward even when perspectives differ. We look forward to the conversations ahead in Alpbach.@sidchat1 @gyude_moore @VladimirNorov @philipproesler #GlobalNeighbours #EuropeanForumAlpbach #EFA26 #EuropeAsia #GlobalCooperation #Dialogue #Multilateralism
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๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ ๐— ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—š๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ก๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐˜ #EFA26. This summer, Global Neighbours will speak at the European Forum Alpbach 2026, contributing to a defining conversation: ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ด๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—ถ๐˜๐˜€ ๐—ด๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—ต ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ผ๐—ด๐˜‚๐—ฒ, ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜„ ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ฝ๐˜€? We look forward to exchanging perspectives with policymakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and the next generation of European leaders in Alpbach. Will you be at #EFA26? Letโ€™s connect. ๐Ÿ”— Explore the EFA26 programme: lnkd.in/e_U_ESSq #EuropeanForumAlpbach #HowEuropeWins #EFA26 #GlobalNeighbours #Europe #Asia #Dialogue #Multilateralism
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