As the world marked the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations on June 10, requires mutual regard, inclusive advancement and cultural exchange resonated across the world –-- from the UN head office to tea events in Mauritius, from porcelain showcases in Italy to academic forums in Athens.The day, designated by the UN General Assembly in 2024 following a resolution proposed by China and co-sponsored by over 80 countries, comes amidst increasing worldwide stress and pushing challenges –-- making civilizational discussion not simply prompt, however imperative.In a congratulatory letter to the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting on Thursday, kept in Beijing from July 10 to 11, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that in a world where improvement and turbulence are interwoven and humankind stands at a brand-new crossroads, there is an ever-pressing need for civilizations to go beyond estrangement through exchanges and to transcend clashes through mutual learning.Themed Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development, the two-day meeting brought in over 600 visitors from 140 countries and regions.Why China proposed the Global Civilization InitiativeXi proposed the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in 2023 after proposing the Global Development Initiative in 2021 and the Global Security Initiative in 2022.
The three efforts have actually made global assistance as important public items provided to the world by China.With a vision of building a world where civilizations do not collide however converse, the GCI responds to the international communitys call for promoting discussion and exchanges among civilizations and gathers forces to remove misunderstandings and barriers, injecting favorable energy into human uniformity in reacting to typical challenges.In his keynote speech, Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, said the GCI, which is deeply rooted in Chinas great traditional culture, has gotten passionate responses and positive echoes from the worldwide community.Noting that the course to worldwide peace and advancement stays long and tough, Cai required collaborations to check out diverse advancement designs, strengthen cultural inheritance and innovation, advance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and build a diverse and multi-dimensional worldwide network for discussion and cooperation amongst civilizations.Over the years, China has developed a series of multilateral exchange platforms, such as the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations and the Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations, and held a series of activities, consisting of the China-ASEAN People-to-People Exchange Year and the Liangzhu Forum, building a platform for equivalent dialogue among different civilizations.According to a recent CGTN survey, participants widely recognize inter-civilization exchanges and shared knowing as a vital driving force for advancing human civilization and promoting world peace and development, including that the GCI has actually evolved into a broad consensus for resolving worldwide challenges.How China practices the Global Civilization InitiativeChina, as a practitioner of civilizational exchange, has grown from a participant in dialogue with the world to a supporter of world discussion, actively broadening space for cooperation amongst civilizations.Thanks to joint efforts from China and other countries, abundant and diverse global people-to-people and cultural exchanges have actually ended up being an extensively recognized phenomenon, cultivating mutual understanding and closer ties amongst peoples around the world.From joint historical projects with partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative to a slew of events like art celebrations, expos, exhibitions and the Luban Workshop, these exchanges have actually provided tangible outcomes and acquired widespread popularity.China now has unilateral visa exemption for 47 countries and transit visa exemption for 55 countries and offers an easier payment and travel environment for incoming tourists.Xi promised in the letter to the forum that China will work with other nations to promote equality, shared learning, dialogue and inclusiveness amongst civilizations; carry out the GCI; and develop a worldwide network for dialogue and cooperation among civilizations in a quote to provide fresh incentive for advancing human civilizations and promoting world peace and development.(Cover: The venue of the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting, held in Beijing, China, from July 10 to 11, 2025.
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