By Luca Bücken.
His Serene Highness Hereditary Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein was in New York on 5 June 2015 to mark the 25th anniversary of his principality’s accession as a fully-fledged UN member.
Hereditary Prince Alois paid then a courtesy call to the 8th UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as well as to a plethora of permanent representatives to the UN.
There are currently 193 members states at the United Nations. During his allocution the prince warned against “the trend to make international regulations in other more exclusive groups. Integrating small states in the decision process creates moreover more creativity and innovation”. For Prince Alois UN membership has “strengthened the sovereignty of the country and offered an extraordinary platform for the international profile of the country”.
Liechstenstein’s Permanent Representative to the UN is Ambassador Christian Wenaweser.
Just a few weeks before his trip to New York, Prince Alois’ wife, HRH Hereditary Princess Sophie had taken over the Liechtenstein chapter of the Red Cross from her mother-in-law, Fürstin Marie. On 12 May 2015, the charitable organisation fêted seventy years of existence in the principality; the celebration included a speech from Liechtenstein’s Premier Adrian Hasler and the ceremony wherein Fürstin Marie passed on the honorary presidency to the Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein, Duchess in Bavaria.
For more information:
Permanent Representation of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the UN: www.regierung.li/ministerien/ministerium-fuer-aeusseres-bildung-und-kultur/diplomatische-vertretungen/englisch/new-york-usa/current-issues/
Red Cross in Liechtenstein: www.roteskreuz.li
