Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

June 10 is the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. This international day, proposed by China last year and adopted by consensus at the 78th United Nations General Assembly,  has been widely welcomed by the international community since its establishment, and related activities have been held in succession around the world. In his speech, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said dialogue is the path to peace and promoting the rich diversity of civilizations is "more urgent than ever." He called on the international community "to listen, to speak, to connect" to build one human family "rich in diversity, united in solidarity and equal in dignity and human rights."

Why do we especially need the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations today? The news page of the United Nations official website has given the answer. 

At the same time Guterres delivered his speech, the most eye-catching news on the homepage of the United Nations official website included the information about the daily food intake of people in the Gaza Strip being far below the "survival" level, global marine ecological problems, and the Houthi armed forces holding UN hostages. This highlights the "urgency" mentioned by Guterres, and further confirms the timeliness and necessity of the establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. 

As the United Nations pointed out, the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations "provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the value of the diversity of civilizations and promoting dialogue, mutual respect and global solidarity, fostering a more harmonious and interconnected world."

China's promotion of the establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations is another practical measure to implement the Global Civilization Initiative. In recent years, China has gathered wisdom through the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, bringing together thousands of Chinese and foreign guests to discuss the protection of Asian civilization diversity, cultural tourism and people-to-people exchanges; gathered strength through the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, promoting in-depth dialogues among global political parties on governance experience and civilization inclusiveness; gathered momentum via the China-Central Asia Summit to build multilateral mechanisms in various fields such as energy and culture, and pave a "golden channel" for mutual learning among civilizations; the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit has gathered hearts to connect regional countries to discuss the vision of cooperation and activate the "regional momentum" for the integration of civilizations. It not only demonstrates the firm support for multilateralism and the core status of the United Nations, but also sets an example for the harmonious coexistence of different civilizations and interprets the responsibility of a responsible major country in the era.

The international community has unanimously supported the UN General Assembly's establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. This resonance that transcends mountains and seas is a vivid testament to how China's vision and proposals have been transformed into global consensus. After the UN General Assembly resolution was passed, 14 countries joined the resolution's core group, 83 countries co-sponsored it, which fully demonstrates that the Global Civilization Initiative conforms to the trend of the times and meets the needs of the times.

Over the past year, China has worked with countries around the world to implement the spirit of the resolution through a variety of vibrant initiatives, aiming to build platforms for equal dialogue among civilizations. From the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS Dialogue on Civilizations, to China-LAC inter-civilizational dialogue, and Conference on Dialogue Between Chinese and African Civilizations, the world has witnessed that the creation of this international day is not simply about assigning significance to a single date, but about making dialogue among civilizations a systematic and regular practice. This is another gift from the Global Civilization Initiative to the world.

For thousands of years, the great arteries of civilization spanning continents have woven a shared spiritual tapestry for humanity. From the ancient Silk Road to the Belt and Road Initiative, from camel caravans to China-Europe freight trains, the unique features of different civilizations have flourished through exchange and integration. 

Today, although the cost of communication has never been lower, notions like the "clash of civilizations" and "civilizational superiority" continue to sow division and conflict. In this era of profound global transformation and lingering regional tensions, the world needs cooperation more than ever. What humanity needs isn't confrontation, but understanding and cooperation. 

In the digital age, dialogues among civilizations and people-to-people connectivity are even more powerful in breaking down stereotypes. The rise of "China Travel," online exchanges between Chinese and American netizens on platforms like Xiaohongshu (RedNote), and spontaneous cross-national collaboration in games like Helldivers 2 to "defend Super Earth" all reflect the vast potential of intercultural communication in the internet era. Young people are sharing lives, exchanging ideas, and cooperating like never before through content platforms such as social media and games. This injects new vitality into civilizational dialogue and signals boundless possibilities for the future.

As President Xi Jinping has insightfully stated, promoting the exchanges and mingling between different civilizations of mankind, as well as mutual learning and reference is an indispensable path toward a better world and better lives for people of all countries. The establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations is not only a starting point, but also a relay that invites every civilization to join the dialogue. 

Let us replace prejudice with understanding, confrontation with cooperation, as we together write a new chapter in the story of our shared humanity.