If I were to sum up in one sentence the historical significance of 2,000 years of cultural commingling along the Silk Road and throughout Eurasia, without hesitation I would say: A society evolves and thrives when it is open and inclusive, willing and accustomed to interacting with and learning from different peoples.

Civilization emerges from the advancement of human social practices and serves as the collective memory of a nation and its people. Rooted in the unique context of their existence, civilizations embody the wisdom and spiritual pursuits of a nation or ethnic group, manifesting their inherent value. As the future of all countries is closely connected, how can different civilizations get along with each other? The Global Civilization Initiative promotes mutual respect between civilizations, advocates equality, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations, and provides a new paradigm for fostering the harmonious coexistence of diverse civilizations.

With a population of over 8 billion today, there are more than 200 countries and regions, over 2500 ethnic groups, and more than 5000 languages. This diversity has given rise to different civilizations, each deeply rooted in its own cultural context.“Civilizations only vary from each other, just as human beings are different only in terms of skin color and language. No civilization is superior to others. The thought that one’s own race and civilization are superior and the inclination to re-mould or replace other civilizations are just stupid”. 

Admittedly, if human civilizations are reduced to only one single color or one single model, the world would become a stereotype and too dull a place to live in. We must cultivate mutual respect and reject both arrogance and prejudice. We need to enhance comprehension of the difference between one’s own civilization and those of others, endeavoring to facilitate interactions, foster dialogue, and promote harmony among diverse civilizations.

Respecting the diversity of humans inherently requires exchanges and mutual understanding among civilizations. Also, insisting on the equality of civilizations is a way to go beyond the “civilization-centrism” and “civilization-supremacy” theories. The arguments of “Western civilization centrism” and “Western civilization superiority” have long prevailed in the international discourse. Historically, the international community has been dominated by “Western civilization centrism” and “Western civilization superiority,” believing the West to be the creator of an advanced modern civilization and the central force in global civilization. This perspective implies that non-Western nations are relegated to dependency on the West, following a Western developmental model for modernization. Nevertheless, as highlighted by Marxist theory, modern Western civilization is fundamentally capitalist, grounded in private ownership, and characterized by inherent inequality and alienation. Unquestioningly adopting the Western modernization model has presented numerous challenges for some nations instead of leading to successful modernization.

The first “advocate” in the Global Civilization Initiative convincingly demonstrates that global civilizations flourish on principles of equality and tolerance, developing through exchanges and mutual understanding. This initiative introduces a novel paradigm for fostering harmonious coexistence among diverse civilizations.

From the perspective of human civilization’s evolution, the shared values of all humanity represent the collective goals and aspirations pursued by societies during their developmental processes.

Historically, Global Development Initiatives have prioritized the exchange and mutual understanding of civilizations, aspiring to construct an open and inclusive world. The Global Civilization Initiative has further deepened this commitment by advocating for promoting the shared values of all humanity, focusing on understanding the varied connotations of values within different civilizations.

There are different perceptions of value across civilizations, but a shared global vision for a better life persists, summarized by the pursuit of “peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom.” In the contemporary era, peace and development remain thematic priorities despite the ongoing challenges of local conflicts, hegemony, power politics, widening global disparities, and persistent issues of poverty and disease in developing nations. Fairness, justice, and democratic freedom, on the other hand, are deemed essential guarantees for individual self-development.

Contrary to self-serving interests or the specific pursuits of certain nations, regions, or ethnic groups, the Global Civilization Initiative centers on the shared value pursuits of diverse civilizations in the twenty-first century.

The shared values of all humanity surpass Western universal values. The essence of Western universal values lies in pursuing global civilization homogenization to achieve Western dominance worldwide. The United States, believing that “its own path will shape the destiny of humanity” and “its domestic principles are universally applicable,” employs various means to vigorously promote its own values globally. However, the outcome, as sighed by American diplomat Henry Kissinger, is that “universality has proved elusive for any conqueror.”

The second aspect of the Global Civilization Initiative highlights the pursuit of shared values in civilizational interactions, which aim to address global risks and challenges, discourage ideological confrontation, and strive to build a multi-coexisting global civilization.

Civilization development serves as a crucial indicator of human society’s advancement. Achieving sustainable civilization development requires a delicate balance between inheritance and innovation. “The sustainable development of civilization requires not only passing on the flame and guarding it from one generation to the next, but also responding to the times and introducing new ideas”.

Neglecting development while solely focusing on inheritance results in a civilization unable to adapt to changing times and ultimately hindering its own progress. On the contrary, an exclusive emphasis on development without the necessary attention to inheritance leaves a civilization rootless and without historical and cultural heritage, risking historical nihilism and fostering instability.

Historically, the enduring legacy of Chinese civilization, lasting thousands of years, stands as a model for the successful integration of inheritance and innovation. Overall, the desire for the development of civilization is consistent, while each country’s pace and approach vary. Countries should leverage their rich cultural heritage as a driving force for modernization and, in turn, promote the innovative development of traditional culture. Besides balancing tradition and modernity, collaboration and non-interference are also crucial.

The Global Civilization Initiative’s third aspect encourages humankind’s modernization with inheritance and innovation. Developing inheritance includes safeguarding historical heritage, fostering identity, and learning from history. On the other hand, promoting innovation involves pushing scientific and technological development and encouraging cultural exchanges for societal progress.

In the political context, Middle Eastern countries can actively engage in diplomatic initiatives facilitated by the GCI and utilize the platform for peaceful dialogue and conflict resolution among Middle Eastern nations and on a global scale. Moreover, they can leverage cultural exchanges and showcase their rich cultural heritage to enhance soft power and improve international perceptions. For example, following the official listing of the Chinese New Year (also known as the Spring Festival) as a UN holiday starting from 2024, Middle Eastern countries can strive to promote traditional culture and customs, expanding the international influence of their own country’s festivals and culture. To resolve conflicts through a cooperative approach, Middle Eastern countries should promote dialogue on shared challenges and collaboration on regional security issues. Additionally, by using the initiative as a platform to promote tolerance, understanding, and religious diversity, Middle Eastern countries can facilitate engagement in interfaith dialogue to address religious tensions.

From an economic perspective, Middle Eastern countries should explore opportunities for increased trade and economic integration with other nations, organize and participate in forums focused on economic development and investment, foster collaboration on innovation and technology transfer, and embrace knowledge exchange programs to enhance technological capabilities. Following the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), bilateral connections between China and Middle Eastern countries have undergone further development. This includes signing comprehensive strategic partnerships, China’s highest level in diplomatic relations, with Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Additionally, strategic partnerships have been formed with another eight states in the region . With the expansion of its geographical scope, the objectives of the BRI have also evolved. Currently, these goals encompass advancing trade, connectivity, financial integration, political coordination, and people-to-people relations. Still, infrastructure projects remain at the heart of the BRI; hence, Middle Eastern countries can seek support from China for infrastructure development projects to boost economic growth. In addition, environmental sustainability should be taken into consideration. Middle Eastern countries should implement policies and climate action that contribute to sustainable development, addressing environmental challenges in the region through collaborative efforts.

People-to-people ties are the social foundations of BRI cooperation. The participating countries have passed on and carried forward the spirit of friendly cooperation of the ancient Silk Road, cooperated on exchanges in culture, tourism, education, think tanks and the media, and promoted mutual learning among civilizations and cultural integration and innovation. 

A model of people-to-people exchanges characterized by dynamic interactions and diversity has underpinned public support for furthering the initiative.

The Silk Road spirit is consistent with the ideal of "all states joining together in harmony and peace" long upheld by the Chinese nation, with the Chinese people's principles of amity, good neighborliness and "helping others to succeed while seeking our own success", and with the call of the times for peace, development and win-win cooperation.

For young people around the world, the initiative that originates from China's traditional culture contains universal wisdom and foresight shared by different civilizations.

"We Arabs like to use the proverbial expression 'From each orchard, pick a rose' to refer to the diversity and richness of an object", Yara Ismail, a lecturer at Cairo University, told the Global Times.

The BRI champions equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations. It upholds the shared values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom. It transcends barriers between cultures through exchanges, resolves conflicts through mutual understanding and rejects superiority while promoting coexistence. It encourages civilizations to appreciate their differences, seek common ground and learn from one another.

the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is connecting countries across the globe, where people with different skin colors and speaking different languages proudly nurture their cultures. Living in a world of different civilizations, beliefs and customs, should we progress alone or together? And should we stay behind close doors or embrace one another? China’s answer is clear: Build a bridge of interaction and mutual learning, and make the BRI a road connecting different civilizations.

The BRI was put forward by China in 2013. Recognizing diversity as a basic feature of the world, BRI’s concept of “mutual learning among civilizations” calls for treating all civilizations in an equal and inclusive manner, respecting the systems and beliefs of all countries, and promoting understanding and trust among different civilizations. Rejecting the outdated Cold War mentality, it represents a big step forward in humanity’s approach to civilization, and is garnering growing support globally.

Over the past decade, Belt and Road partner countries have carried out diverse people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, which have become bridges for mutual cultural appreciation. Chinese and foreign archaeologists are working together to explore the cultural relics of the ancient Silk Road and renew the exchanges along the Silk Road with modern-day cultural interactions. The BRI has built a platform for dialogue among civilizations, where the flowers of different civilizations bloom and shine together.

Our world is going through profound changes of a magnitude unseen in a century. China, while actively advocating dialogue among civilizations, is committed to contributing the energy of the Chinese civilization to the world, in an effort to put the concept of “mutual learning among civilizations” into practice, and add new content to the BRI. China’s endeavor to further the country’s development along the Chinese path to modernization and create a new form of human advancement sends a strong message-modernization does not mean Westernization, and each civilization is valuable for being uniquely its own. This strengthens the confidence of different civilizations to shine together and complement each other. China has put forward the Global Civilization Initiative that calls for respecting the diversity of world civilizations, championing the common values of humanity, promoting the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and enhancing international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The aim is to open up new prospects in cultural interaction and people-to-people bonds among all countries, and contribute more to the progress of human civilization.

As once-in-a-century changes continue to unfold globally, humanity is confronted with multiple challenges and crises. The resurgence of anachronistic mentalities trumpeting the superiority of certain civilizations and clash of civilizations is posing a serious threat to world peace, stability, development and progress. At a time when all countries are interconnected with a shared future, inclusiveness, coexistence, interaction and mutual learning among civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing the modernization of human society and diverse human civilizations. By working together to build the Belt and Road into a road connecting different civilizations, we people of countries around the world will be able to join force and tackle all kinds of risks and challenges together.

This civilizational mentality and dialogue provides not only opportunities for the various parties involved, but, through the exploration of these new development strategies, the creation of a better future.

on the other hand, A sound ecosystem is essential for the prosperity of civilization. For thousands of years, the Chinese civilization has set great store by the idea that humanity must seek harmony with Nature. Into the new era, China is committed to the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and pursuing modernization that features harmony between humanity and Nature. Thanks to persistent efforts, incredible progress has been accomplished in its eco-environmental protection and green development endeavors.

While steadily advancing green development at home, China has explored to contribute its ideas and experience on green development to the Belt and Road cooperation. In 2019, at the opening ceremony of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, China made clear that green will be a defining color of the BRI, and green infrastructure, green investment and green financing will be promoted to protect the planet we all call home. This appeal to build a green Silk Road together demonstrates China’s leadership as a major country in global eco-environmental governance, and contributes Chinese wisdom to the joint endeavor for a clean and beautiful world.

As the world’s largest market and equipment manufacturer in the field of clean energy, China has conducted green energy cooperation with more than 100 countries and regions. In Belt and Road partner countries, Chinese investment in green and low-carbon energy has surpassed that in traditional energy. This has promoted greater balance between socioeconomic development and eco-environmental protection, brought more opportunities for green development to participating countries and regions, and delivered green benefits to local communities.

With this strong emphasis on infrastructure and green development, as well as international cooperation, the BRI provides a powerful model towards increasing global prosperity between friendly nations.

Therefore, it can be said that the Belt and Road cooperation is not a solo performance, but a symphony played by all. The BRI has effectively synergized development strategies and practical demands among partners, and has helped partner countries transform their own advantages into tangible fruits of development.

Passing on the tradition of the Silk Road, today's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is also committed to promoting mutual understanding, respect, and admiration among different civilizations. China proposes building the BRI into a road connecting different civilizations, replacing estrangement with exchanges, replacing clashes with mutual learning, and replacing a sense of superiority with coexistence, thus boosting mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual trust among different countries. Over the past decade since the BRI was put forward, diverse cultural exchanges among BRI countries have been flourishing. While visioning for joint pursuit of BRI, China also put forward building a community of a shared future for humanity and introduced the Global Civilization Initiative, one of a series of far-sighted conceptions, for the benefit of the world's civilization development.

From the above, it can be said in modern cultural processes in the humanitarian sphere the concept of «border» is redefined, as it does not divide, but acts as a meeting place for one’s own and another’s.

In this context, land is neither a simple concept nor a mere physical entity, despite how it naively appears. It not only generates notions of terrain, borders, territories, and regions; land has historically been thought of as a universal good, a space where crops can be grown and factories built. Land becomes a central preoccupation of human affairs inasmuch as it allows people to relate to their environments in new ways, a backdrop for human progression through time.

Trading routes have always generated vivid images of ancient connectivity due to their geopolitical and geo-cultural significance, especially for those wishing to prove that transcontinental land trade is a panacea for all ills. In Asia and the West, the so-called Silk Road became a vivid expression of this phenomenon.

Once it received this name, the Silk Road became “revivable”, allowing later engineers and technocrats to plot onto it their visions of ambitious futures to come. The Silk Road became a land in-between in the sense that it refers both to a period of antiquity that is considered a historical fact and to a form of discourse which carries real socio-political consequences. 

Suspended in time and caught between often clashing, yet similar, ways of imagining the “Other”, the Silk Road not only facilitated commercial and cultural exchange but also symbolized the appetite for foreign cultures, lands, and commodities, bridged distant geographies, and thus opened out unimaginable possibilities.

The Belt and Road Initiative is Beijing’s most comprehensive and ambitious foreign policy enterprise to date and is emblematic of China’s growing geopolitical aspirations. Studies abound on the topic, and justifiably so - yet conclusions drawn along predominantly civilizational lines are insufficient, problematic, and even misleading. This research thus rejects the simplistic version of civilization-based geopolitical analysis through an investigation of a variety of civilizational responses to the BRI and analyses of Sino-Western, and Sino-Islamic cultural interactions. It has sought to refine and nurture a more sophisticated and rigorous approach to the complex connection between the BRI and civilization.

We hope that all parties, standing on the new starting point, will make the pie of development increasingly bigger, so as to provide solid support for people’s well-being and create more opportunities for economic growth. In doing so, we will usher in another wonderful decade on this road of global prosperity.

Author: Hayder Qasim Mutar Al-Tameemi, Secretary-General and Head of the Historical Studies Department at Bayt Al-Hikma 

Source: Speech at the 2025 Belt and Road Think Tank Cooperation Forum