Foreign envoys gather at Palace Museum for dialogue on exchange among civilizations

BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) -- An event at Beijing's Palace Museum has gathered ambassadors and other diplomats from nearly 30 countries to China for a dialogue on exchange and mutual learning among civilizations.

The event was co-hosted by the Palace Museum, the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions, and Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday, which marks this year's International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

During the event, Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum, said this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum.

He added that having guests engage in discussions on strengthening cross-cultural cooperation, promoting mutual learning among civilizations and exploring pathways toward shared prosperity and progress for human civilization is of great practical significance.

Xi Yanchun, vice president of Xinhua News Agency, said this event has provided a rare opportunity for envoys from different countries to explore the diversity and commonality of human civilizations, and to contribute wisdom and strength to building a more harmonious and beautiful world.

Foreign envoys attending the event also toured an exhibition of Chinese and foreign garden culture, and viewed an exhibition of photos about the Forbidden City taken by foreign diplomats.

Several diplomats expressed admiration for the Forbidden City's architectural beauty and its philosophical reflection of harmony between humanity and nature, saying that the Forbidden City is an excellent place for dialogue among civilizations.

The International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations was initiated by China and adopted by the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in 2024. ■