Under the theme "Classical Civilizations and the Modern World," the World Conference of Classics opens on November 7, 2024 in Beijing. Photo: cnsphoto

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter on Thursday to the World Conference of Classics.  

With the theme "Classical Civilizations and the Modern World," the conference opened in Beijing on the same day.

Xi noted that the conference, co-organized by China and Greece, along with the establishment of the Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens, has created a new platform for civilizational exchange and mutual learning between China, Greece and other nations around the world.

Xi said that the ancient civilizations of China and Greece flourished at opposite sides of the Eurasian continent more than two millennia ago, laying the foundation for the development of human civilization.

He emphasized China's commitment to preserving and advancing cultural heritages and added that China is dedicated to enhancing international people-to-people exchanges and fostering global dialogues among civilizations.

The Chinese president said China stands ready to work with other nations in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, addressing shared challenges facing humanity, and promoting the advancement of human civilization.

Xi also expressed hope that experts and scholars will embrace the responsibility of advancing classical studies, contributing to the preservation and development of civilizations, and enhancing their exchange and mutual learning.

The organizer of the conference said in a statement that "We hope that through this event, we can further explore the modern value of classical civilizations, contribute wisdom and strength to tackle problems facing the development of human society, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations as well as new developments in global civilization."

Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, highlighted the intellectual parallels between Confucius from China's Spring and Autumn period (770BC-476BC) and the ancient Greek philosopher Plato at the conference. 

Gao said that these similarities are not mere historical coincidences, but rather reflect deep cultural and historical roots that can be traced back to early interactions and exchanges among ancient civilizations. 

"Classical civilizations are humanity's shared spiritual wealth. Classical studies should be conducted with an open and inclusive attitude to broaden its scope to gain insights from the wisdom of world civilizations through equal and reciprocal exchanges," Gao said. 

Theodoros Papangelis, member of the Academy of Athens, said that the conference holds a unique and profound significance for classicists, linguists, historians, archaeologists, and scientists alike.

Many scholars have primarily worked within Western academic circles, and some have only participated in Western-hosted academic events. Their studies of classical traditions are often shaped by Western scholarly frameworks, said Papangelis in his speech.

China, with one of the most illustrious classical heritages in the world, offers a feeling of belonging, a sense of coming home. Even today, China's classical traditions remain vibrant and influential, earning respect and recognition across modern Chinese society, Papangelis added.

Dialogue on similarities

President Xi put forward the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in March 2023, following the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.

Various cultural events have been held to promote dialogues and exchanges among different civilizations.

One of the topics discussed at the parallel forums during the conference on Thursday was "An Ethical Dialogue between Confucianism and Ancient Greek Philosophy," which highlights the cultural similarities and mutual influences between China and Greece. 

Karl-Heinz Pohl, professor emeritus of Chinese Studies at the University of Trier, told the Global Times that the concept of "unknowing" in Chinese and Western traditions share some similarities. 

He also noted in the forum that the concept of "the Union of Opposites" in Western tradition also brought him to the philosophy of "Yin-Yang Thought" in Chinese tradition, which was the same idea.

Shared efforts

"Cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Greece have brought people closer and closer," Stelios Virvidakis, a professor from the University of Athens and also steering chairman of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations, told the Global Times in a previous interview. "The horizon is vast. There are endless possibilities which have not been explored."

People all over the world, in different places and from different cultures, can "share similar feelings and have similar emotions," and "we can live together with exchanges, peaceful and rich exchanges," he added.

John Shanahan, associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences of DePaul University, the US, sees the conference as "visions of a collaborative approach to global problems and challenges" including climate change and rising inequality that demand shared knowledge and shared efforts from experts around the globe. 

"Learning others' culture is a way of seeing and thinking differently, and building empathy and understanding. That is good for our shared humanity," he added. Shanahan will take part in the subforum "Education, Technology and Ethics: Future-Oriented Digital Classics" on Friday. 

The conference is dedicated to providing a platform for classical civilization researchers and specialists to exchange ideas and foster consensus. It is hoped that through this event, we can further explore the modern value of classical civilizations, contribute wisdom and strength to tackle problems facing the development of human society, promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations as well as new developments in global civilization. 

Prior to the conference, the foreign participants visited cultural heritage sites in Shandong, Henan and Sichuan provinces including the Confucius Museum, Yinxu Museum, Longmen Grottoes and Jinsha Site Museum.