A key international conference opened in Beijing on Thursday, calling for upholding the spirit of mutual learning between different civilizations and better using ancient wisdom to enlighten contemporary society.
The inaugural World Conference of Classics, jointly launched by China and Greece, themed “Classical Civilizations and the Modern World”, has attracted more than 600 scholars and other delegates from over 30 countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan.
In a congratulatory letter sent to the conference, President Xi Jinping said that the ancient civilizations of China and Greece flourished at opposite sides of the Eurasian continent more than two millennia ago, laying the foundation for the development of human civilization.
Xi emphasized China’s commitment to the preservation and development of civilizations, adding that the nation is dedicated to enhancing international people-to-people exchanges and fostering global dialogues among civilizations.
He said China stands ready to work with other nations in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, addressing shared challenges facing humanity, and promoting the advancement of human civilization.
Xi also expressed the hope that experts and scholars will embrace the responsibility of advancing classical studies, contributing to the preservation and development of civilizations, and enhancing their exchanges and mutual learning.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who also sent a congratulatory letter to the conference, noted that the blending of Greek and Chinese civilizations has made significant contributions to the progress of the world.
In her message, Sakellaropoulou said that the origin of human thought, the wisdom of human history, and ancient traditions and customs all contribute to building a global dialogue community. It can thus promote communication, foster innovative thinking, seek common ground while preserving differences, and pave the way for a shared and prosperous future, she added.
These two ancient civilizations share common characteristics as well as distinct differences, and together they have created outstanding standards and models for humanity, with philosophy being one of the prominent representatives.
The conference was co-organized by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as the Ministry of Culture of Greece and the Academy of Athens.
Eight parallel forums are taking place during the meeting, which concludes on Friday, on topics such as the translation and interpretation of classics, classical wisdom and the age of digital intelligence, and classics and the future of humanity.
At the opening ceremony of the conference on Thursday, the establishment of the Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens was announced.
Xi noted in his letter that the conference and the establishment of the school have created a new platform for civilizational exchange and mutual learning for China, Greece and other nations in the world.
Launched by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and with support of the two countries’ governments, the school is dedicated to conducting archaeological excavations and classical studies, building an archaeological library, publishing an academic journal, organizing academic events, launching research programs and hosting exhibitions.
Gao Xiang, president of the CASS, said that with the inception of the school, “together with experts from around the world, we aim to trace back to the origins of human thought, explore the traditions of human civilization and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of classical civilization in the modern world”.
Lina Mendoni, the Greek minister of culture, said that the school is the 20th foreign research institution to conduct archaeological missions in Greece, and also the first from “an Eastern country”.
“Chinese philosophy emphasizes harmony, balance and the cultivation of virtues. These values continue to play influential roles in modern governance, social structures and interpersonal relationships,” Mendoni said.
“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills,” she said. “I hope, we’re those who build windmills.”
Also on Thursday, the Piraeus-based Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation donated two precious 17th-century German-language copies of ancient Greek classics to the library of the CASS.
Nicomachean Ethics and Politics, both by Aristotle, have had a lasting influence on Western culture for centuries.
“The move is a key witness of the people-to-people connectivity of the two countries,” Gao said.
Xinhua and Sun Meng contributed to this story.
