CGTN Podcast
On July 10, 2025, the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting kicked off in Beijing. Over 600 guests from 140 countries and regions engaged in in-depth discussions under the theme “Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development.” Together, they contributed wisdom and strength to fostering mutual understanding among peoples and promoting harmonious coexistence among different civilizations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the meeting, pointing out that the world is, in nature, a place of diverse civilizations. History has shown us that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are essential for civilizations to flourish and human progress to be made. China will work with other countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, and implement the Global Civilization Initiative, in a bid to provide fresh impetus for advancing human civilizations and promoting world peace and development.
On the same day, former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova received the Orchid Awards’ Lifetime Honorary Award presented by the China International Communications Group, in recognition of her long-standing contributions to cultural exchange. She spoke highly of Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative, describing it as a “gift to the world.”
“His deep conviction that dialogue among civilizations is the foundation of global peace, prosperity, and well-being of all people. I think the inclusiveness of this initiative, which is not just oriented towards China but towards all of the world today, is very important.”
Former Greek Foreign Minister George Katrougalos stated that the Global Civilization Initiative serves as an effective counterbalance to the rising tide of unilateralism and hegemony.
“Now with international relations are returning to unilateralism, [and] to hegemonic practices, this is quite the contrary message that working all together, without any kind of hegemonies, we can arrive at very harmonious international relations.”
In her remarks, former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri noted that the meeting echoed the aspirations of people around the world who long for a just and civilized order, and she emphasized the need for in-depth dialogue rooted in the core values of civilizations:
“I warmly welcome and strongly support the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping during the ‘CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting,’ held on March 15, 2023. This initiative makes a meaningful contribution to creating a more just, inclusive and harmonious world.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also sent a congratulatory message to the meeting, thanking all participants for gathering in Beijing to highlight the vital role of dialogue among civilizations. He called on the global community to join hands to replace hatred with compassion, bridge divides through dialogue, and work together to build a diverse yet united family of mankind that’s characterized by diversity, solidarity and mutual support.
“It is so decided!”
In June 2024, Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, announced that the Assembly has, by consensus, adopted the resolution proposed by China on establishing the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The resolution stresses that all civilizational achievements constitute “the collective heritage of humankind.” It underscores the importance of respecting civilizational diversity and highlights “the crucial role of dialogue” in maintaining global peace, advancing shared development, enhancing human well-being, and achieving collective progress.
The resolution embodies the very essence of the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by Xi Jinping — a vision rooted in exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, which he first articulated a decade ago.
In March 2014, Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where he elaborated, for the first time, on China’s vision of civilization in the new era, stressing that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are an important driving force behind the progress of human civilization and the advancement of world peace and development.
“First, civilizations have come in different colors, and such diversity has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable.”
“Second, civilizations are equal, and such equality has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations possible.”
“Third, civilizations are inclusive, and such inclusiveness has given exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations the needed drive to move forward.”
During the first Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, held in Beijing in May 2019, Xi Jinping introduced China’s proposal for strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, highlighting the path toward a shared future for Asia and all of humanity.
“Diversity spurs interaction among civilizations, which in turn promotes mutual learning and their further development. We need to promote exchanges and mutual learning among countries, nations and cultures around the world, and strengthen popular support for a community with a shared future for both Asia and humanity as a whole.”
On March 15, 2023, during the ‘CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting,’ Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative for the very first time, advocating that the international community jointly respect the diversity of civilizations, promote the common values of humanity, value the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and practice robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
Xi Jinping’s vision of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations has gone beyond mere calls and initiatives. On numerous diplomatic occasions, he has actively positioned himself at the forefront of cross-cultural and cross-civilizational exchanges.
In 2016, during his state visit to Peru, Xi Jinping came to the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, accompanied by then-Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Together, they viewed an exhibition of more than 100 selected pieces of Chinese treasures. The artifacts on display spanned the vast timeline of Chinese history: intricately decorated Neolithic jade, Tang Sancai ceramics that showcase the grandeur of the Tang dynasty, and porcelain masterpieces reflecting cultural exchanges along the ancient Silk Road.
During the tour, Xi Jinping paused before the Terracotta Warriors and said to the Peruvian leaders, “This artifact comes from Shaanxi, the birthplace of Chinese civilization, also my hometown Province.”
The moment made a lasting impression on Ivan Ghezzi Solis, the then director of the museum, who noted:
“President Xi Jinping drew our attention to a Terracotta Warrior statue in squatting position and said that it was very rare. Archaeologists like me were surprised to see a president of a major country could speak about the relics with the familiarity and precision of an expert.”
Liu Peng, Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Association, who helped curate the exhibition, also later recalls:
“President Xi once said that we must be able to appreciate the value of our own treasures and not neglect them. On various occasions in Latin America and around the world, he has personally shared stories behind China’s cultural treasures, helping to deepen mutual understanding between different civilizations and peoples.”
During Xi Jinping’s state visit to Italy in March 2019, Italy returned 796 pieces of lost cultural relics to China. This was the first time that China’s top leader witnessed in person the return of such cultural relics.
“On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you.”
Under Xi Jinping’s initiative, China and Italy also signed several agreements on preventing the theft and illegal excavation of cultural relics, as well as promoting their rightful return.
“We should let cultural relics speak, let history speak, and let culture speak.” Xi Jinping has consistently encouraged the inheritance and mutual learning of civilizations. During his visits to the Latin American region, he often used Chinese cultural treasures as bridges and shared the long-standing history of cultural exchange between China and Latin America.
From the growing enthusiasm for learning Chinese in Latin America to the increasing number of exchange students between the two sides; from fruitful joint archaeological projects at Mayan sites to multiple groups of Latin American journalists visiting China to document the country’s path to modernization — in recent years, under the guidance and encouragement of head-of-state diplomacy, China–Latin America cultural exchanges have flourished. Through mutual learning and mutual inspiration, both sides have advanced together, becoming an important driving force for the progress of human civilization and the peaceful development of the world.
Indeed, cultural exchange and mutual learning among civilizations have always held a place in many of Xi Jinping’s diplomatic activities. In 2019, during his state visit to Greece, Xi Jinping published a signed article in the Greek media titled “Let Wisdom of Ancient Civilizations Shine Through the Future.” In it, he recounted how elements of ancient Greek civilization—geometry, drama, and philosophy—traveled to China. While visiting the Acropolis Museum, he even drew connections between the circled patterns carved on ancient Greek marble statues and “cupping therapy” from traditional Chinese medicine.
In 2023, during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Xi Jinping invited him to Songyuan where they enjoyed a performance of a classic Chinese guzheng piece “High Mountains and Flowing Water,” a symbol of harmony and friendship. On that occasion, the two heads of state shared tea and reflections on the millennia of Chinese history and cultural continuity. In 2024, Xi Jinping likened Peru’s “Nazca Lines” to “Chinese classical poetry” to emphasize that mutual learning among civilizations requires us to transcend our own limitations in perspective.
Today, in a world where transformations and turbulence are interwoven and humanity stands at a new crossroads, there is an ever-pressing need for civilizations to transcend estrangement through exchanges, and to rise above clashes through mutual learning. Whether on state visits or at international events held in China, Xi Jinping has always been committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Establishing mechanisms to implement the Global Civilization Initiative also entails facilitating easier two-way exchanges and expanding international people-to-people and cultural cooperation. By actively promoting such exchanges, China seeks to foster mutual understanding among peoples of different civilizations and ensure that the rich achievements of human civilization can benefit more people around the world.
The Temple of Montu, with a history of more than 3,000 years, is located in northern Luxor in southern Egypt as part of the Karnak Temple complex. In 2018, the China-Egypt Joint Archaeological Mission at the Temple of Montu in Luxor, the first of such projects between China and Egypt, was launched at this site. After five years of joint effort, the collaboration has yielded remarkable results.
Jia Xiaobing, the Chinese head of the joint archaeological project, is the director of the world archaeological research office at the Institute of Archaeology. He said:
“Both Chinese and Egyptian civilizations are ancient and splendid. How did our diverse world come into being? What role did China play in it? To answer these questions, we must compare Chinese civilization with others and view it from a broader vision of global civilizations.”
Through their daily work, scholars from both sides have deepened mutual understanding and forged lasting friendships. The Egyptian researchers taught basic Arabic to their Chinese teammates, while the Chinese team members, in return, shared everyday Chinese expressions. The two sides also frequently exchanged stories about their respective traditional cultures and customs. Egyptian archaeologist Ahmed Mahmoud Taher Mohamed said that working with the Chinese archaeological team has deepened his understanding of Chinese history and culture and broadened his perspectives on archaeological work and cultural research.
Beyond excavation work, the Chinese archaeologists have also pioneered an innovative approach to standardize the various translated versions of ancient Egyptian texts to form a unified discourse system, a foundation for future research on ancient Egyptian civilization.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s experts in archaeology have accelerated their pace of “going global.” One joint archaeological project after another has become a bridge linking Chinese and foreign civilizations. Today, China is working hand in hand with other nations to rediscover the contemporary value of their histories and cultures, allowing ancient civilizations to converse across time and space.
In the 1960s, Senegal’s founding president and renowned poet Léopold Sédar Senghor envisioned the creation of a Museum of Black Civilizations. A passionate advocate of the “Negritude,” Senghor devoted his life to promoting Africa’s traditional culture and values.
More than half a century later, Senghor’s dream finally came true. In December 2018, the Museum of Black Civilizations, built with China’s assistance, officially opened in Dakar, Senegal. The unique value and contributions of Black civilizations are now displayed to the world in a vivid and multidimensional way. Ousseynou Wade is the advisor to the Director General of the Museum of Black Civilizations. During an interview with China Central Television, he said:
“We are deeply grateful to China for helping us build this museum and making our decades-long dream come true. Our relationship with China is profoundly important. I sincerely hope that all those watching, all those who follow our work all around the world, and particularly all our Chinese friends who value China-Africa cooperation and development—I sincerely hope that some of them will have the opportunity to visit here in the near future.”
Africa has never ceased to leave its mark on the history of human civilization. Today, the revival of African civilizations is sounding the clarion call of a rising Global South, which provides profound cultural nourishment for China–Africa cooperation and injects valuable spiritual strength into Africa’s path toward modernization.
At the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing, Xi Jinping announced that China and Africa would advance the implementation of the “Ten Partnership Actions,” with the first among them being the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations.
“China is ready to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centers on China and Africa studies. We will make better use of Africa’s leadership academies to cultivate talents for governance, and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China to deepen exchanges of experience in party and state governance.”
In September 2024, several new initiatives were launched, including the “Chinese Language plus Vocational Skills” Education Center, the China-Africa regional cooperation centers for digital education, and the Science and Technology Backyard Africa Centre. In April 2025, the Fourth Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations was successfully held under the theme “The Modern Value of Classical Wisdom: Insights and Reflections from Ancient Chinese and African Civilizations on Contemporary Global Challenges.”
Through joint efforts towards modernization, China and Africa are working together to advance cooperation for mutual benefit, harmonious coexistence, and shared prosperity. With a shared vision of building a better world, the two sides are composing a stirring symphony of greater strength through unity that resonates across the Global South. Just as Xi Jinping said at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation:
“Well-balanced material and spiritual advancement is a lofty objective of modernization. China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the Global Civilization Initiative.”
From articulating China’s vision of civilization at international forums such as UNESCO, to personally promoting cultural exchanges during his overseas visits, and to initiating the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, Xi Jinping has been deeply committed and personally involved in encouraging all sides to let civilizational exchange replace estrangement, mutual learning overcome conflict, and inclusiveness transcend superiority.
To “respect the diversity of world civilizations” is the prerequisite for different civilizations to coexist and learn from one another; to “promote the common values of humanity” provides a fundamental guiding principle for all nations; “valuing the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations” fuels continual progress; while “strengthening robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation” offers pathways for different civilizations to meet, understand, and connect with each other.
The Global Civilization Initiative not only carries forward the millennia-old Chinese wisdom of harmony and coexistence, but also responds to the call of our times for “civilizational dialogue.” When diverse civilizations grow together in mutual respect and advance hand in hand under the guidance of humanity’s shared values, the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity will come ever closer to reality.
As Xi Jinping once said, in his 2014 speech at the headquarters of UNESCO,”
“History tells us that only through exchanges and mutual learning can a civilization be filled with vitality. If all civilizations can uphold inclusiveness, the so-called ‘clash of civilizations’ will be out of the question and the harmony of civilizations will become reality.”
If you are interested in listening to this episode of the podcast series Stories of Xi Jinping, please visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/cn/podcast/building-an-open-and-inclusive-world-through/id1689566035?i=1000739247747 ///nCa, 5 January 2026