Youth exchanges will have a more positive impact on political and economic cooperation among countries, and more activities on cultural exchanges will be driven by future policymakers and intellectuals, said Grzegorz Kolodko, former deputy prime minister and minister of finance of Poland.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Kolodko, also director of Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research at Kozminski University in Warsaw, shared his views on cultural exchanges among different civilizations.
"There is too much or bad blends of misunderstanding, hostility, lack of tolerance, etc. in the international relations. And the question is why, why the cultural cooperation, mutual win-win understanding, or at least an effort to understand each other is so weak in the contemporary international relations. I don't think that just one program, one project or one day we make the course, but I do trust, I put my trust in the next generation. I think that my kids, my students, my Chinese students, international students that are much more open minded than the generation of the parents and grandparents. And therefore we should invest in the use exchange people to people contact and they will bring more of this corporation which will therefore make positive impact also on economic and political cooperation, for which we have to look much more actively than thus far," he said.
As UN has designated June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, Kolodko said efforts should be made to extend such dialogues and exchanges beyond just a day of activities.
"A day is a day. You have to push the things forward each and every day. And I wish there would be a little bit more of statements and encouragement from the political leaders. But if you return to the news, especially in the west, it is much more about military exercises, about the war, about the crisis, about the cold war. To give a good example by leading politicians, by political leaders, as a good answer for your question. But I do put much trust in intellectuals, I would like to be the former policymaker within the professional economist. I would like to see the days where there will be more activity driven by intellectuals than by the policymakers," he said.
More youth exchanges necessary for greater global political, economic cooperation: former Polish deputy PM
