On 12 June, Liu Guoliang, ITTF Vice President and Chairman of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Board, made a special appearance at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. In addition to receiving a certificate as UN Games Ambassador, he attended the inaugural UN Kids’ Table Tennis Tournament, where he presented awards to the winning young players and joined them on the table for interactive games.

In May this year, Liu Guoliang participated virtually in the closing ceremony of UN Games. This visit to the UN Headquarters marks his first in-person engagement in an international sports philanthropy project in his capacity as UN Games Ambassador.

During the event, Liu Guoliang stated: “It is a great honour to be here at the United Nations and to serve as the first UN Games Ambassador. This platform allows me to promote the spirit of Chinese sports, share the culture of table tennis from China, and bring people together through this sport—turning ‘small balls’ into a force for greater connections.”

Liu’s participation in this international sports philanthropy initiative at the UN exemplifies China’s contemporary efforts to advance the concept of “sports for peace.” His actions not only carry forward the essence of the 1971 “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” between China and the United States but also innovate in fostering cross-cultural dialogue on the global stage of the United Nations.

The UN Games, for which Liu Guoliang serves as Ambassador, is guided by the principles of “unity, friendship, peace, and development.” It targets members of permanent missions to the UN and UN staff, aiming to foster informal diplomacy through sports and deepen international cooperation.

The inaugural edition was successfully held in April 2024 during the UN Sustainable Development Week. The second edition in 2025 has received active support from China, which co-sponsored the proposal originating from Turkmenistan’s 2024 UN General Assembly initiative, highlighting the multilateral consensus on advancing sports diplomacy.