Qufu, Sep 29 : The 2026 Nishan Forum on World Civilizations opened in Qufu, east China’s Shandong Province, bringing together officials, international representatives and scholars to discuss civilization, global order and justice.
Sun Chunlan, former Vice Premier of the State Council and President of the International Confucian Association, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. She said the international community faces growing challenges and called for greater cooperation in promoting peace, development and a fairer international order.
Sun highlighted the role of dialogue among civilizations in enhancing mutual understanding and building consensus. She also called for drawing on traditional cultural values to promote inclusive development, common security and improved global governance.
Shandong Party Secretary Lin Wu said Confucian thought has had a profound influence on Chinese civilization and remains relevant to contemporary society. He called for deeper exploration of traditional Chinese concepts, including “harmony in diversity” and people-centered governance, and for their creative transformation and innovative development.
The forum, themed “Civilization, Order, and Justice,” was jointly organized by the Shandong provincial government, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the International Confucian Association.
Scholars from China and abroad delivered keynote speeches, while representatives from foreign governments, diplomatic missions and international organizations also attended.