Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On November 3rd, the 7th China-France Cultural Forum, co-hosted by the Western Returned Scholars Association and the French Foundation for Foresight and Innovation, opened in Changsha, Hunan Province.
Founded in 2016, the China-France Cultural Forum is an important platform for the Western Returned Scholars Association to play its role as a "vital force in people-to-people diplomacy." It has been held six times previously in Beijing, Lyon, Xi'an, Nice, Suzhou, and Deauville, covering a wide range of fields including culture, art, education, science and technology, and business.
With its continued operation, the forum has expanded in scale and influence, playing a unique role in promoting pragmatic cooperation in the cultural field between China and France, fostering mutual understanding between the Chinese and European people, and facilitating mutual learning and exchange between Eastern and Western civilizations. It has become a signature event in the field of Sino-foreign cultural exchange.
This year's forum, themed "Diverse Coexistence and Harmonious Progress – Opening a New Pattern for Sino-French Cultural Exchange," aims to promote mutual learning and harmonious progress between the two cultures in a diverse and symbiotic manner, jointly opening a new chapter in Sino-French cultural exchange.
In his address, Ding Zhongli, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and President of the Western Returned Scholars Association, stated that, based on the coordinates of our times, in-depth dialogue between the two great civilizations of China and France is a positive effort to jointly address the questions of "how to safeguard the diversity of civilizations" and "how to continuously promote the progress of human civilization." This is not only a historical responsibility bestowed upon China and France by the times, but also a civilizational commitment to the future of humanity. Pluralistic coexistence is the foundation of civilization's survival and the source of innovation and creation. The vitality of civilization lies in "harmony in diversity," and human progress cannot be separated from "each appreciating its own beauty." Faced with the resurgence of unilateralism and the clash of civilizations theory, China and France should join hands for "harmonious progress," demonstrating the profound meaning of civilizations becoming more colorful through exchange and richer through mutual learning. They should use the power of "subtle influence" to build a bridge of mutual understanding between the Chinese and French people, jointly promoting the realization of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind. He expressed his hope that both sides would reach more consensus in areas such as cultural and technological integration and cultural trade development, working together to transform the potential for cooperation into fruitful results that promote the vigorous development of culture and share the dividends of civilizational progress.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France and President of the French Foundation for Foresight and Innovation, stated that the diversity of civilizations is the starting point for exchange and the key to innovation. The Sino-French Cultural Forum has transcended mountains and seas, connecting our thoughts and hearts, and giving us confidence to create a shared future. Although France and China represent different civilizational trajectories, they share a deep resonance in areas such as peace, development, and humanistic values. It is precisely based on these shared values that the two great civilizations of France and China should better understand each other and exchange ideas. We look forward to more French people, especially young people, visiting China to see for themselves, deepening exchanges and cooperation with China on cultural, educational, and scientific projects, and jointly contributing wisdom and strength to safeguarding world peace and promoting human development.
This forum was hosted by the Changsha Municipal People's Government and co-organized by the Hunan Provincial Association of Returned Overseas Students. Approximately 200 representatives from the cultural, artistic, educational, and business circles of China and France, as well as representatives from relevant provincial associations of returned overseas students and media representatives, attended the opening ceremony. (End)
