Your Excellency Madame Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO,

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Dear Friends,

 

Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to have an opportunity of visiting the UNESCO headquarters. Let me begin by offering Madame Bokova my heartfelt congratulations on her re-election as the Director-General of the Organization and paying my sincere tribute to UNESCO for the extraordinary contribution it has made for greater exchanges and mutual¹ learning among human civilizations.

 

UNESCO was born 69 years ago when the smoke of the World War against Fascism had barely dissipated. The grisly horror of war forced mankind once again to reflect on the nature of war and peace. Throughout the centuries, people have yearned² for lasting³ peace, but war, like a haunting ghost, has been accompanying the journey of human progress every step of the way. As we speak, many children on this planet are subjected to the horror of armed conflicts. We must do our utmost to keep war as far away as possible from mankind so that children across the world can grow up happily under the sunshine of peace.

 

The stone wall at the entrance to the UNESCO headquarters carries the inscription⁴ of one single message in several languages: Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.

 

As long as the idea of peace can strike deep roots and the sail of peace can be hoisted⁶ in the hearts and minds of people all over the world, a strong defense⁵ will be constructed to prevent and stop war. People hoped to promote inter-civilization exchanges, equality of educational opportunities and scientific literacy in order to dispel⁷ estrangement⁸, prejudice and hatred⁹, and spread the seeds for the idea of peace. This is precisely¹⁰ why UNESCO was established in the first place.

 

The aspiration¹¹ and vision as such deserve our renewed commitment. Not only so, but we must also step up cross-border, cross-time-and-space and cross-civilization activities in education, science, technology and culture to spread the seeds of the idea of peace far and wide so that they will sprout¹², take root and grow in the hearts and minds of the world's people, and provide the planet we share with more and more forests of peace.

 

Since its inception¹³ in 1945, UNESCO has faithfully lived up to its mandate¹⁴ and worked untiringly to enhance trust and understanding among the world's peoples and promote exchanges and mutual learning among the various civilizations. China attaches great importance to its cooperation with UNESCO and stands ready to expand its participation¹⁵ in UNESCO activities. We have decided¹⁶ to expand the Great Wall Fellowship, a scheme that provides scholarship to developing countries, African countries included via UNESCO, from 25 to 75 people every year to demonstrate China's support and assistance for Africa. We will also continue to work within the framework of the UNESCO trust fund to help Africa.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

 

Civilizations have become richer and more colorful with exchanges and mutual learning. Such exchanges and mutual learning form an important drive for human progress and global peace and development.

 

To promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, we must adopt a right approach with some important principles. They, in my view, contain the following:

 

First, civilizations have come in different colors, and such diversity has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable. Just as the sunlight has seven colors, our world is a place of dazzling colors. A civilization is the collective memory of a country or a nation. Throughout history, mankind have created and developed many colorful civilizations, from earlier days of primitive¹⁷ hunting to the period of agriculture, and from booming industrial revolution to the information society. Together, they present a magnificent genetic¹⁸ map of the exciting march of human civilizations.

 

"A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden." If there were only one kind of flower in the world, people will find it boring no matter how beautiful it is. Be it the Chinese civilization, or other civilizations in the world, they are all fruits of human progress.

 

I have visited the Louvre Museum in France and the Palace Museum in China, both of which house millions of pieces of art treasures. They are attractive because they are able to present the richness of diverse civilizations. Exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations must not be built on the exclusive praise or belittling¹⁹ of one particular civilization. As early as over 2,000 years ago, the Chinese people came to recognize that "it is only natural for things to be different". Greater exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can further enrich the colors of various civilizations and the cultural life of people, and open up still greater alternatives in the future.#p#分页标题#e#

 

Second, civilizations are equal, and such equality has made exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations possible. All human civilizations are equal in terms of value. They all have their respective strengths and shortcomings. There is no perfect civilization in the world. Nor is there a civilization that is devoid²⁰ of any merit. No one civilization can be judged superior to another.

 

I have visited many places in the world. The best thing I wanted to do is to learn about differing civilizations across the five continents, what make them different and unique, how their people think about the world and life and what they hold dear. I have visited Chichen Itza, a window on the ancient Maya civilization, and the Central Asian city of Samarkand, an epitome²¹ of the ancient Islamic civilization. It is my keenly-felt conviction that an attitude of equality and modesty²² is required if one wants to truly understand the various civilizations. Taking a condescending²³ attitude toward a civilization can not help anyone to appreciate its essence but may risk antagonizing it. Both history and reality show that pride and prejudice are two biggest obstacles to exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

 

Third, civilizations are inclusive, and such inclusiveness has given exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations the needed drive to move forward. The ocean is vast for it refuses no rivers. All civilizations are crystallizations of mankind's hard work and wisdom. Every civilization is unique. Copying other civilizations mechanically or blindly is like cutting one's toes just to fit his shoes, which is not only impossible but also highly detrimental²⁴. All achievements of civilizations deserve our respect and must be treasured.

 

History also tells us that only by interacting with and learning from others can a civilization enjoy full vitality²⁵. If all civilizations can uphold inclusiveness, the so-called "clash of civilizations" will be out of the question and the harmony of civilizations will become reality. This is like what we Chinese often say, "radish or cabbage, each to his own delight."

 

Having gone through over 5,000 years of vicissitudes²⁶, the Chinese civilization has always kept to its original root. Unique in representing China spiritually, it contains some most profound pursuits of the Chinese nation and provides it with abundant nourishment²⁷ for existence and development. Though born on the soil of China, it has come to its present form through constant exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations.

 

In the 2nd century B.C., China began working on the Silk Road leading to the Western Regions. In 138 B.C. and 119 B.C., Envoy²⁸ Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty made two trips to those regions, spreading the Chinese culture there and bringing into China grape, alfalfa, pomegranate, flax, sesame and other products. In the Western Han Dynasty, China's merchant fleets sailed as far as India and Sri Lanka where they traded China's silk for colored glaze²⁹, pearls and other products. The Tang Dynasty saw dynamic interactions between China and other countries. According to historical documents, the dynasty exchanged envoys³⁰ with over 70 countries, and Chang'an, the capital of Tang, bustled³¹ with envoys, merchants and students from other countries. Exchanges of such a magnitude helped the spread of the Chinese culture to the rest of the world and the introduction into China of the cultures and products from other countries. In the early 15th century, Zheng He, the famous navigator of China's Ming Dynasty, made seven expeditions to the Western Seas, reaching many Southeast Asian countries and even Kenya on the east coast of Africa. These trips left behind many stories of friendly exchanges between the people of China and countries along the route. In late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, the Chinese people began to learn modern science and technology with great zeal³², as the European knowledge of astronomy, medicine, mathematics, geometry and geography were being introduced into China, which helped broaden the horizon of the Chinese people. Thereafter, exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese civilization and other civilizations became more frequent. There were indeed conflicts, frictions³³, bewilderment and denial in this process. But the more dominant³⁴ features of the period were learning, digestion³⁵, integration³⁶ and innovation.

 

Buddhism³⁷ originated in ancient India. After it was introduced into China, the religion went through an extended period of integrated development with the indigenous³⁸ Confucianism and Taoism and finally became the Buddhism with Chinese characteristics, thus making a deep impact on the religious belief, philosophy, literature, art, etiquette³⁹ and customs of the Chinese people. Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang), the Tang monk⁴⁰ who endured untold⁴¹ sufferings as he went on a pilgrimage to the west for Buddhist⁴² scriptures⁴³, gave full expression to the determination and fortitude⁴⁴ of the Chinese people to learn from other cultures. I am sure that you have all heard about the Chinese classics Journey to the West, which was written on the basis of his stories. The Chinese people have enriched Buddhism and developed some special Buddhist thoughts in the light of Chinese culture, and helped it to spread from China to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and beyond.#p#分页标题#e#

 

In the course of some two thousand years and more, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity have been introduced into China successively, which allowed the country's music, painting and literature to benefit from the advantages of other civilizations. China's freehand oil painting is an innovative⁴⁵ combination of China's traditional painting and the Western oil painting, and the works of Xu Beihong and other masters have been widely acclaimed⁴⁶. China's Four Great Inventions, namely, papermaking, gunpowder⁴⁷, movable-type printing and compass, led to changes in the world, including the European Renaissance⁴⁸. China's philosophy, literature, medicine, silk, porcelain⁴⁹ and tea reached the West and became part of people's daily life. The Travels of Marco Polo generated a widespread interest in China.

 

Many people know about the terracotta warriors⁵⁰, "the buried legions of Emperor Qin". After his visit to the site, President Chirac of France said that a visit to Egypt will not be complete without seeing the pyramids, and that a visit to China will not be complete without seeing the terracotta warriors. In 1987, this national treasure of China, shrouded⁵¹ in secrecy⁵² for over two thousand years, was put on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. There are many more proud Chinese achievements that have been included in the World Cultural Heritage list, the World Intangible Cultural Heritage list and the Memory of the World list. Here, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to UNESCO for its contribution to the preservation⁵³ and dissemination⁵⁴ of the Chinese civilization.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

 

Today, we live in a world with different cultures, ethnic⁵⁵ groups, skin colors, religions and social systems, and the people of various countries have become members of an intimate community of shared destiny.

 

The Chinese have long come to appreciate the wisdom of "harmony without uniformity". Zuo Qiuming, a Chinese historian who lived 2,500 years ago, recorded in the Chronicle of Zuo the following comments by Yan Ying, Prime Minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period: "Harmony is like cooking the thick soup. You need water, fire, vinegar, meat sauce, salt and plum to go with the fish or meat." "It is the same when it comes to music. Only by combining the texture⁵⁶, length, pace, mood, tone, pitch and style rightly and executing them properly can you produce an excellent melody." "Who can eat the soup with nothing but water in it? What ear can tolerate the same tone played repeatedly on one instrument?"

 

There are 200-odd countries and regions, over 2,500 ethnic groups and a multitude of religions in the world today. We can hardly imagine if this world has only one lifestyle, one language, one kind of music and one style of costume.

 

Victor Hugo once said, "There is a prospect⁵⁷ greater than the sea, and it is the sky; there is a prospect greater than the sky, and it is the human soul." Indeed, we need a mind that is broader than the sky as we approach different civilizations. Civilizations are like water, moistening everything silently. We should encourage different civilizations to respect each other and live in harmony, so that exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations will become a bridge promoting friendship between people around the world, an engine driving progress of human society, and a bond cementing world peace. We should draw wisdom and nourishment and seek spiritual support and psychological consolation⁵⁸ from various civilizations, and work together to tackle the challenges facing mankind.

 

In 1987, 20 exquisite⁵⁹ pieces of colored glaze were excavated⁶⁰ at the underground chamber⁶¹ of Famen Temple in Shaanxi, China. These East Roman and Islamic relics⁶² were brought into China during the Tang Dynasty. Marveling at these exotic relics, I thought hard and concluded that as we approach the world's different civilizations, we should not limit ourselves to just admiring the exquisiteness⁶³ of the objects involved. Rather, we should try to learn and appreciate the cultural significance behind them. Instead of only satisfying ourselves with their artistic⁶⁴ presentation of people's life in the past, we should do our best to breathe new life into their inherent spirit.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

 

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit." We should develop education more actively⁶⁵. Education can open people's mind, impart knowledge, and cultivate temperament⁶⁶. The continued process of learning will enable our people to better appreciate the value of different civilizations. In this sense, education is an effective vehicle for the continuation and creation of civilizations. We should develop science and technology more vigorously. Scientific advancement⁶⁷ and innovation can help people understand themselves and the world and be in a stronger position to change their society for the better. The continued process of exploiting nature will enable our people to master still more knowledge and skills. In this sense, science and technology are a powerful tool to make the world a better place for mankind. We should promote cultural undertakings⁶⁸ more energetically. Cultural exchanges can help open our hearts to each other, broaden our horizon and build greater consensus⁶⁹ among us. The continued process of cultivating people morally and intellectually will result in a higher standard of humanity. In this sense, culture is a big booster for human progress.#p#分页标题#e#

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

 

The Chinese people are striving to fulfill⁷⁰ the Chinese dream of the great renewal⁷¹ of the Chinese nation. The Chinese dream of the great renewal of the Chinese nation is about prosperity of the country, rejuvenation⁷² of the nation, and happiness of the people. It reflects the ideal of the Chinese people of today as well as the fine tradition of relentlessly⁷³ seeking progress that we have had since ancient times.

 

The Chinese dream requires balanced development and mutual reinforcement of material and cultural progress. Without the continuation and development of civilization or the promotion⁷⁴ and prosperity of culture, the Chinese dream will not come true. Forefathers⁷⁵ of the Chinese nation long yearned for a world of great harmony in which people are free from want and follow a high moral standard. In the Chinese civilization, people's cultural pursuit has always been part of their life and social ideals. So the realization⁷⁶ of the Chinese dream is a process of both material and cultural development. As China continues to make economic and social progress, the Chinese civilization will keep pace with the times and acquire greater vitality.

 

A civilization carries on its back the soul of a country or nation. It needs to be passed on from one generation to the next. Yet more importantly, it needs to keep pace with the times and innovate⁷⁷ with courage. As we pursue the Chinese dream, the Chinese people will encourage creative shifts and innovative development of the Chinese civilization in keeping with the progress of the times. We need to inject new vitality into the Chinese civilization by energizing⁷⁸ all cultural elements that transcend⁷⁹ time, space and national borders and that possess both perpetual appeal and current value, and we need to bring all collections in our museums, all heritage structures across our lands and all records in our classics to life. In this way, the Chinese civilization, together with the rich and colorful civilizations created by the people of other countries, will provide mankind with the right cultural guidance and strong motivation.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

 

As an old Chinese poem goes, "When I glance at the visage of vernal breeze, I know that a thousand flowers of purple and red set spring aglow⁸⁰." UNESCO will mark its 70th anniversary next year. I am confident that under the stewardship⁸¹ of Director-General Bokova, the organization will make still more achievements in its efforts to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and advance the cause of peace in the world.

 

Thank you.

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