Academic salon for Asian civilizations a success

An academic salon for Asian civilizations and international communication was held on Sunday at the Shanghai International Studies University.

A sideline event of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing, it attracted 40 scholars from 15 countries and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

Li Yansong, president of the host university, said there should be communication among civilizations so that countries can peacefully coexist and flourish.

Jaeho Hwang, a professor from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea, said China should enhance people-to-people ties among countries in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

He said universities could play an important role in cultivating talented people who would be able to promote communication among intellectuals and higher-education institutions.

Yang Jiemian, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said all civilizations live in a mutual and well-connected world, and no civilization can prosper in an isolated environment. 

Their communication with each other is both a reality and an aim to pursue, he added.

Navin Chandra Lohani, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University, said Asian civilizations are historically rich and diverse, and their contributions to the world in terms of human resource, culture, landmass and trade are going to be immense.

“I think the diversity in these civilizations will be the core strength for Asian civilizations to take over the world center stage eventually,” he said.

Guo Ke, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Shanghai International Studies University, added: "In the age of information pluralism, media are playing an increasingly important role in communication of Asian civilizations. Cross-disciplinary communication is one of the most effective approaches to prevent misunderstanding.”