China Donates Lunar Samples from Far Side Moon to UN in Vienna

VIENNA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday formally presented a lunar sample collected from the far side of the Moon by its Chang'e-6 mission to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna, where the sample will be permanently exhibited. The ceremony, themed "From lunar ground to common ground: a shared future for all," brought together diplomats, UN officials, scientists and representatives of international organizations. Carried more than 380,000 km from the Moon to Earth and then to the heart of international diplomacy, the sample is more than a fragment of lunar soil and rock. It has become a symbol of scientific achievement, international cooperation and humanity's shared future in space. At the venue, the lunar sample attracted considerable attention, with diplomats, delegates and officials from international organizations stopping for a close look. Some visitors even lined up to take photographs with material retrieved from the Moon's far side. The sample has an extraordinary provenance. In 2024, China's Chang'e-6 lunar exploration mission successfully collected 1,935.3 grams of samples from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon, marking the first time in human history that samples had been retrieved from the lunar far side. The achievement opened a new chapter in lunar science, offering scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study material from a region that has long remained beyond direct view from Earth. "It is a great honor for me to attend this ceremony today," said Austrian sinologist Richard Trappl. "Although the Moon is 380,000 kilometers away from Earth, today it has come to Vienna -- to the United Nations in Vienna -- and I extend my sincere congratulations to China." Harvey Dzodin, senior fellow of the Center for China and Globalization, said the sample's uniqueness lies in its origin. "I think it's the first time for most people to see the lunar sample from the far side of the Moon," he said. In his view, the sample can also serve as an "ambassador" for China by demonstrating the country's technological capabilities. "Obviously, the UN is the first place where the sample should be shared outside of China, because the UN is an ideal that needs to be realized. And it represents every nation," he said, expressing hope that more lunar samples can be collected and shared in the future. Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, described Chang'e-6 as one of an "impressive series of unprecedented achievements" on and around the Moon in recent years. "The coming years are full of promise of yet more impressive missions," she said, adding that she looked forward to seeing what China's Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions might bring as well. For Holla-Maini, the significance of the sample goes beyond its scientific value. "Lunar samples from the far side are so rare, but this one, thanks to China, belongs to everyone. It belongs to us all," she said. She also acknowledged China's lunar sample program, through which the country has been sharing these unique resources with scientific and research institutions around the world, enabling scientists without direct access to such capabilities to benefit from them. The permanent exhibition of the sample in Vienna gives it a new role. It will no longer be confined to laboratories or specialized facilities, but will be placed in a setting visited every year by thousands of students, delegates and visitors from every corner of the world. "I'm very proud that this gift will sit here in Vienna, not as a trophy, but as a teacher," Holla-Maini said. "For us, we are all people who otherwise would never get the chance to stand so close to the Moon," Holla-Maini said. "From lunar ground to common ground, I hope that every visitor who stops in front of this rock leaves with a sense of wonder at what humanity as individuals but also collectively together can achieve."