Nation contributes wisdom to dialogue among civilizations

On June 7, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/78/286, formally setting June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The resolution was proposed by China and co-sponsored by more than 80 countries that all agreed on the need to respect civilizations, maintain dialogue, global peace, shared development, progress and enhance human well-being. Against this backdrop, nations around the world should actively pursue peace, mutual respect and cooperation to address our shared global challenges.

The ongoing tensions in Gaza, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with conflicts between Israel and Iran, as well as Russia and Ukraine clearly demonstrate that the world remains trapped in a state of crisis. Our world needs peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, trust, dialogue and cooperation to ensure that the welfare of the citizens is met and development is guaranteed.

China has consistently championed peace and development. In the congratulatory letter sent to the third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations and the first World Conference of Sinologists held in Beijing in 2023, President Xi Jinping stressed that China is ready to work with all sides to carry forward the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and promote inter-civilizational exchanges, mutual learning and inclusiveness to overcome cultural misunderstanding, clash and supremacy, so as to jointly advance human civilizations.

As early as in 2014, when he delivered a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, President Xi pointed out that civilizations are diverse, adding that greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can further enrich the colors of various civilizations and the cultural life of people, and open up greater alternatives in the future.

In the speech, Xi said that all civilizations are equal in terms of value and have their respective strengths and shortcomings. No one civilization can be judged superior to another.

He said that civilizations are inclusive, and such inclusiveness has given exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations the needed drive to move forward. All civilizations evolve from humanity's hard work and wisdom. Every civilization is unique and all achievements of civilizations deserve our respect and must be treasured.

He also noted that education can open one's mind, impart knowledge and cultivate temperament. The continued process of learning will enable people to better appreciate the value of different civilizations.

President Xi's speech emphasizes learning and education, a notion shared by the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius. Confucius taught that "education breeds confidence, confidence breeds hope, and hope breeds peace." Confucius used this quote to explain the transformative power of education in building self-belief, optimism and a peaceful society.

Likewise, Greek philosopher Socrates saw learning not as filling a vessel, but as kindling a flame that ignites critical thinking and curiosity. Another Greek philosopher Plato viewed education as teaching children to desire the right things, thereby fostering moral development and instilling purpose in young people.

As China unveiled the 10 partnership actions at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on Sept 5, Africa stands to gain a lot from the dialogue among civilizations. The partnership actions cover mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people exchanges, green development and common security. African countries will gain considerably from China's governance model in modernization and poverty eradication through a platform for governance experience sharing and the China-Africa network for knowledge.

Specifically, African leaders can benefit from core Chinese ideologies in governing their respective countries. They should emulate, adopt and implement actionable plans from China, including deepening reforms, utilizing science and technology as a foundation for development, governing under the rule of law, and championing a people-centered approach in governance.

Furthermore, China plans to establish an engineering technology academy and set up 10 Luban workshops. About 60,000 training opportunities will be provided to the African people in knowledge exchanges and skills development. African countries hope to develop capacities and skills and use the knowledge and information gained to improve the productivity and performance of their economies.

China has demonstrated pragmatic cooperation platforms and initiatives that will not only improve the livelihoods of Africans but also systematically equip them with essential knowledge.

China's initiative for a dialogue of civilizations represents a laudable project as it facilitates the exchange of critical knowledge and information concerning social behaviors, institutions and norms prevalent across diverse societies.

This endeavor will help individuals get a comprehensive understanding of different civilizations' knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, attitudes and habits. Such information will further mitigate prejudice, biases, discrimination and all forms of xenophobia that frequently lead to conflicts and wars.

The author is a senior lecturer at University of Lagos, Nigeria.