Two years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), calling for respect for cultural diversity, the promotion of common human values, the preservation and innovation of civilizations, and stronger international people-to-people exchanges.
In today's world, the initiative has become more relevant than ever amid uncertainty, turbulence, and division.
Facing rising anti-globalization trends, Elias Jabbour, a professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro's Faculty of Economic Sciences, highlighted the growing significance of GCI. He said China's inclusive approach to diversity sets an example for the world. At a time when some self-proclaimed "civilized" nations are enforcing mass deportations and repatriations, China's emphasis on mutual respect and cultural exchange stands in sharp contrast, the professor said, while commending the GCI for championing the coexistence of diverse civilizations without imposing one nation's values on another.
Guiding the world toward peace
When Xi proposed GCI at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in March 2023, he quoted a Chinese proverb: "A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden" to indicate the vitality of cultural diversity and the necessity of embracing multiple civilizations in building a harmonious world.
"Countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority," said Xi.
China's commitment to civilization dialogue was recognized later in June when the UN adopted a resolution proposed by China, designating June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. Chinese envoy to the UN, Fu Cong, stated that this initiative sought to refocus global attention on intercultural dialogue at a "critical juncture."
"If you look around the world, you see a lot of disputes, a lot of conflicts or even wars. And also, there is a surge of intolerance, extremism and also populism. All these can find their roots in the differences or the lack of understanding among cultures and religions," Fu said.
A CGTN poll of 15,574 people across 40 countries and regions, published in March 2023, found that 80.3 percent see multiple civilizations as beneficial to global development, 85 percent believe in building a shared future through tolerance and cooperation, while 89.6 percent call for greater dialogue and openness, rising to 93.7 percent in developing countries.