BEIJING, July 11, 2025 -- One month after the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Civilizations Dialogue was held in Beijing on Thursday and Friday, under the theme of "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development." This is another major practice of China in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and promoting dialogue among different civilizations.
In response to the multiple global governance dilemmas under changes unseen in a century, Chines President Xi Jinping has put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The GCI advocates respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, as well as robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. This is a Chinese solution proposed from the perspective of world peace, development and progress of human civilization.
Conducive to world peace and development
Dialogue among civilizations contributes to world peace. Looking back at history and reality, we can find that many conflicts between countries or between different ethnic groups within a country could have been avoided. Some of these conflicts are not caused by differences in civilizations, but by the vying for interests and power. Through dialogue, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations, we can promote understanding and build trust, thereby resolving contradictions and easing conflicts, and on this basis reach consensus and carry out cooperation. This is a fundamental way to achieve reconciliation and peace.
Dialogue among civilizations is conducive to global development. Development and civilization complement each other. Development promotes the progress of civilization. Civilization is the foundation of development, which can give development strength, meaning and value. Exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can promote global development from multiple dimensions. After a long period of evolution, different civilizations have accumulated many tools and methods to promote development. Through exchanges and mutual learning, the development of different regions can be greatly promoted through mutual understanding and reference. Civilization is also the institutional environment and cultural foundation for development. Learning from different civilizations around the world and drawing on the excellent elements of their systems and cultures is crucial to promoting the development of the society in which the civilization is located. Promoting development requires the use and inheritance of knowledge, which of course relies on the excellent achievements of various civilizations and their exchanges and mutual learning.
Dialogue among civilizations is a gradual process
Dialogue among civilizations is the interaction between different civilizations, cultures or value systems. For civilizations to achieve equal and inclusive dialogue and achieve results, certain conditions and environments are needed. For example, we should recognize the unique value of each civilization, abandon civilizational prejudice and cultural hegemony, accept the differences and disagreements between civilizations. We should also listen to the voices of different civilizations and learn from each other, and recognize that dialogue is not only a means and a way, but also a goal in itself, which has important value, rather than serving or being influenced by a certain specific interest. Dialogue among civilizations has multiple meanings: First, in the face of barriers and misunderstandings between civilizations, we can eliminate these obstacles and avoid confrontation through dialogue; second, in the face of various challenges facing mankind, we can integrate diverse wisdom through dialogue and cross-civilization collaboration to find better ways to deal with them; third, on the basis of respecting the diversity and equality of civilizations, we can build consensus through dialogue to form and consolidate common values for all mankind; fourth, through dialogue, we can demonstrate the uniqueness and commonality of civilizations, enhance understanding and eliminate xenophobia and extremism; fifth, in the dialogue among civilizations, we can inspire new ideas and new wisdom to achieve continuous innovation of civilizations.
China is an advocate, pioneer and demonstrator
In 2023, President Xi raised the concept of the GCI, the core of which is to promote dialogue among civilizations as well as exchanges and mutual learning. In recent years, China has been committed to building a platform for dialogue, exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations, establishing a number of high-level people-to-people exchange mechanisms between China and foreign countries, and carrying out international people-to-people exchange cooperation projects and activities with diverse forms and rich content. From the ancient Silk Road to the current Belt and Road Initiative, the road of civilization exchange and mutual learning has been continuous. It can be expected that as the GCI wins more responses around the world, civilization dialogue and exchange and mutual learning will further become a world trend and promote the continuous progress of human civilization.
