AKP Phnom Penh, July 12, 2025 --   

The Ministerial Meeting of the Global Civilisations Dialogue was organised in Beijing from July 10 to 11.

The meeting, themed "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilisations for World Peace and Development", has attracted over 600 participants from approximately 140 countries and regions worldwide.

The Global Civilisation Initiative

On March 15, 2023, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote address at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting. Titled “Join Hands on the Path Towards Modernisation,” the address first mentioned the Global Civilisation Initiative.

The initiative advocates the respect for the diversity of civilisations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilisations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.

Why civilisations dialogue is needed? 

In June 2024, the 78th UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a China-proposed resolution to designate June 10 as the "International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations."

The resolution aligns with the four points advocated by the Global Civilisation Initiative.

The resolution emphasises that dialogue among civilisations plays a crucial role in maintaining world peace, promoting common development, enhancing human well-being, and achieving shared progress. It calls for equal dialogue and mutual respect among different civilisations.

To address common challenges and advance toward a better future, we need economic and technological strength, as well as the power of culture and civilisation.

Dialogue is the pathway to peace, and promoting the diversity of civilizations is more urgent than ever.

In an era marked by intertwined changes and turbulences, we need to listen, talk, and communicate more.

What’s the dialogue about?

On June 10, 2025, the world celebrated the first-ever International Day for Civilisations Dialogue with vibrant events:

At UN Headquarters in New York, a forum themed "enhancing inter-civilisation exchanges for global solidarity" drew active participation from diplomats worldwide.

In Denmark, the "dialogue through music" concert bridged cultural gas, embodying the spirit of "harmony in diversity."

In Thailand, the 2025 "Hehe Civilisation Forum" fostered consensus on tackling shared challenges through cross-cultural dialogue.

In Mauritius, the "Tea for Harmony" salon showcased tea's historic role in connecting Eastern and Western civilisations.

As stated on the United Nations' dedicated webpage for the International Day for Civilisations Dialogue:

The International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations provides an opportunity to enhance awareness of the value of cultural diversity, promote dialogue, mutual respect and global solidarity, and advance the building of a more harmonious and interconnected world.

Over the past year, China has worked hand in hand with countries around the world to build platforms for equal dialogue among different civilisations.

From the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS civilisations dialogues to the China-Latin America and China-Africa civilisations exchanges, the International Day for Dialogue among Civilisations goes beyond merely assigning special significance to a particular date. More importantly, it institutionalises and regularizes exchanges and dialogue among different civilisations. This represents yet another gift the Global Civilisation Initiative contributes to the world.

By YICC reporters