The 11th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is underway in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius in east China's Shandong Province, where scholars are exploring how Confucian values can help address the challenges of today's world.
The two-day forum opened on Wednesday under the theme "Beauty in Diversity: Nurturing Understanding Among Civilizations for Global Modernization."
The event highlights cultural diversity and the need to understand civilizations in the context of modernization. Key topics include the relevance of Confucianism in contemporary society and the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
Participating scholars and guests from around the globe are examining how different civilizations can coexist amid globalization, offering ideas for tackling shared global issues and advancing human progress.
"What's particularly important is Confucius' emphasis on pluralistic thinking and harmonious diversity. Generally speaking, Westerners often interpret him through the lens of modern values, viewing traditional learning as relatively conservative and lacking in inclusiveness and pluralism. However, Confucius actually proposed such ideas long ago [more than 2,000 years ago], offering valuable reference ideas and intellectual resources," said Dr. Benjamin Coles, a British lecturer in Chinese philosophy at Huaqiao University based in east China's Xiamen City.
"The noble person seeks harmony but not uniformity, so we don't need to be exactly the same. We can have different civilizations and cultures. What matters most is that we can cooperate and communicate peacefully," said Ilya Kanaev, a visiting Russian scholar at Shandong University.
This year's forum has drawn more than 560 participants from over 70 countries and regions, who are taking part in a range of activities including high-level interviews, keynote speeches, and parallel dialogues.
Scholars explore how Confucian values guide modern world
Scholars explore how Confucian values guide modern world
