By He Yin, The 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by China to establish the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. According to the resolution, June 10 was designated as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.
The resolution advocates respecting the diversity of civilizations and calls for equal dialogue and mutual respect among different civilizations. It fully reflects the core essence of the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The unanimous support from the international community for setting up the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations demonstrates that the GCI conforms to the trend and meets the demand of the times.
In March 2023, Xi proposed the GCI, stressing the importance to advocate the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
In today’s world where the futures of all countries are closely connected, the GCI offers answers to important questions such as how different civilizations should get along and where the human civilization is headed. It contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to promoting mutual learning among civilizations and advancing the progress of human civilization.
China’s proposal to establish the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations at the UNGA helps implement the GCI and has injected positive energy into addressing common challenges faced by humanity.
China is committed to promoting mutual understanding, respect, and trust among nations, and seeks to build consensus on peaceful development through cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
In this year alone, the GCI has been incorporated into bilateral documents between China and over a dozen countries including Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Tunisia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Serbia, and Hungary, gaining increasingly widespread recognition and support.
In today’s world that has entered a new period of turbulence, multiple challenges and crises are intertwined. The international community has come to a deeper understanding that exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations contribute to enhancing understanding, trust, and cooperation, providing important impetus for human development and progress.
The resolution of the UNGA states that all civilizational achievements are “the collective heritage of humankind.”. It emphasizes “the crucial role of dialogue” among civilizations in maintaining world peace, promoting common development, enhancing human well-being, and achieving collective progress. This resolution reflects the universal aspiration of countries around the world to uphold equality and inclusiveness, and to maintain the diversity of world civilizations.
The resolution invites all member states and UN agencies to commemorate the International Day.
China will closely collaborate with all parties to organize diverse and vibrant activities for dialogue among civilizations. It will advocate for respecting the diversity of civilizations, promote the common values of humanity, value the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and actively promote people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, so as to achieve common prosperity and progress of human civilization.
The unanimous support from the international community for setting up the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations demonstrates that Chinese ideas and solutions are increasingly gaining international consensus.
No matter how the international landscape changes, China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, and will advocate vigorously peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit. It will uphold the shared values of humanity, promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the GCI, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity.
The public goods provided by China to the international community gather humanity’s broadest common understanding of building a beautiful world, bringing prosperity and stability to the world and creating substantive benefits for the people.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed the United Nations’ high appreciation for China’s firm commitment to multilateralism and support for the GDI, GSI and GCI proposed by Xi, reaffirming the United Nations’ strong commitment to deepening cooperation with China.
The world today is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century, with frequent regional conflicts and disturbances. Global issues are becoming more acute. All parties need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, to jointly inject stability and positive energy into the turbulent international situation.
China, starting from a righteous position and walking a path of great virtues, will keep working with relevant parties to implement the GDI, GSI and GCI, and resolutely build a community with a shared future for mankind.
