The Chinese wisdom of harmonious coexistence and inclusiveness, put into practice today, offers new ways to bridge cultural differences and strengthen international cooperation, according to a global forum on mutual learning among civilizations on Monday.
The insights were shared by officials and global cultural leaders on the opening day of the two-day International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026, held in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
The wisdom includes harmony without uniformity, as well as openness and inclusiveness, and the multicultural coexistence demonstrated by China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions under "one country, two systems".
The gathering at the Galaxy International Convention Center is themed "Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Inheritance and Development" — a nod to the Global Civilization Initiative, a vision proposed by China in 2023 to encourage inclusiveness, mutual learning, respect for diverse civilizations, and harmonious coexistence among cultures.
The initiative has contributed Chinese wisdom to addressing global challenges amid persistent cultural barriers and differences in outlook, Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai said at the opening ceremony.
Sam said that Macao will further play the role of "an exchange and cooperation base, where Chinese culture is the mainstream and multiple cultures coexist", providing a platform for mutual understanding among different civilizations.
Li Guoqiang, a member of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and director of the Research Centre for Macao History at the CASS' Chinese Academy of History, emphasized mutual respect and common purpose. "We hope this platform gives diverse civilizations ample space for expression, and helps them flourish together and inspire one another," he said.
The keynote speakers at the forum discussed how societies can learn from one another, focusing on the roles of Hong Kong and Macao as facilitators.
Feng Shi, a member of the CASS' Academic Divisions, cited the influence of Chinese culture on thinkers from the Age of Enlightenment, a European intellectual movement during the 17th and 18th centuries. Feng called for a similar spirit of self-reflection and mutual learning to inform cultural exchanges today.
Hugh Bowden, a professor of ancient history in King's College London's Department of Classics, highlighted similarities in the ideas of ancient philosophers such as China's Confucius and Greece's Socrates, alongside the Silk Road's links across Asia, Africa and Europe.
The study of antiquity can illuminate the origins of commerce, ethics and ideas that underpin contemporary international relations, he said.
Takeshi Hamashita, director of the Research Department of the Japanese research library and museum Toyo Bunko and a senior research fellow at Sun Yat-sen University's Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities, said Macao's maritime connections have long made it a gateway for Western culture into Asia, and a hub connecting China and Southeast Asia.
