Hon. Bai Yugang, Director of Nishan World Center for Confucian Studies,

Mr. Zou Ciyong, Deputy Director General of UNIDO, 

Mr. Martin Nesirky, Director of UNIS

Experts and scholars, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear friends:

Good afternoon!

It is a great pleasure to meet you at the Nishan Forum on Classical Civilizations. On behalf of the Permanent Mission of China in Vienna, I would like to extend my sincere welcome to all of you!

Civilization is the fruit of wisdom from the development of human societies, and it is a great force for promoting world peace and prosperity and for leading mankind towards a bright future. Named after Nishan, the birthplace of Confucius, the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is a platform for cultural exchange. The forum acts not only as an important window for the world to understand China but also as an important medium to connect and achieve consensus among civilizations.

Currently, a great change that has not been seen in a century is accelerating its evolution, and various ideologies are colliding with each other. As an important activity under the framework of the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, the Nishan Forum on Classical Civilizations, held at the United Nations in Vienna at this time, has, in my opinion, its significance in three aspects.

First, the Forum symbolizes the dialogue and integration of Chinese culture and cultures worldwide. Shandong is the birthplace of Confucianism and the estuary of the Yellow River, the mother river of our nation. Wellington Koo, a legendary Chinese diplomat, once said, 'Shandong Province is the cradle of Chinese civilization, the birthplace of Confucius and Mencius, and a holy land for the Chinese people.' Vienna, on the other hand, is the geographical centre and cultural hub of Europe throughout history. It is also situated on an important segment of the Danube River, the mother river of the European continent. The United Nations embodies the integration of world civilizations. Today, the Nishan Forum on classical Civilizations held at the headquarters of the United Nations in Vienna  provides a great opportunity to get inspiration from Chinese and Western cultures.

Next, the Forum represents the substantive implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative. The world is currently facing unprecedented challenges and crises. However, when look through the lens of history, we can see that cultural exchanges and mutual learning are the unstoppable driving force behind the development of human civilization. President Xi Jinping proposed the core concept of the "Four Advocates" in the Global Civilization Initiative, making a sincere appeal to promote cultural exchanges and the progress of human civilization through inclusion and mutual learning. This provides China's wisdom and solutions for the coexistence of different civilizations in harmony and accelerate the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Today's forum is a significant manifestation of implementing the Global Civilization Initiative.

Last but not least, the Forum holds a proactive response to multilateralism. Whether it is the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, economic downturns, or global climate change, each challenge is not only about the present but also about the future. The process of modernization of human society has once again come to a crossroad in history. Only by lighting the torch of multilateralism can we illuminate the path forward for humanity. Today, scholars from China and Europe gathering at the United Nations shows our support for true multilateralism which also, fully embodies the Vienna spirit of dialogue for consensus.

The diversity of civilizations is the premise for human cultural exchange. Chinese modernization, as a new form of civilization, is deeply rooted in the long history of traditional Chinese culture, and draws on and absorbs the achievements of other civilizations. It has not only the common characteristics of modernization in other countries but also its own characteristics based on Chinese domestic environment. It is, as well, the latest contribution of China to the world’s civilizations. We will relentlessly follow the path of Chinese path to modernization, learn from other civilizations, and continue to create a beautiful and diverse global community.

"The road ahead is long and hard, but as long as we keep going, we will reach our destination." This Chinese proverb reflects the challenges ahead but also the importance of perseverance. As explorers and researchers of civilizations, we hope that all our expert and scholar friends here can engage in full exchanges of views, share your insights in the goal of, enhancing the advancement of human civilization. 

In closing, I wish this forum a great success!