ATHENS, Greece, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On May 27, the “China-Europe-America Think Tank Cooperation Forum Athens Dialogue 2025″ was held in Athens, over 30 guests invited from China, France, Italy, the United States and other countries to the Forum.
At the Conference Venue
With the theme “Dialogue Between Ancient Civilizations for Global Progress,” the event was co-hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS), the Information Office of Beijing Municipality and the China-Europe-America Global Initiative. Topics such as “Cultural Heritage Preservation and Sustainable Development,” “Exchange Between Ancient Civilizations, Mutual Learning and Progress,” and “The Light of Ancient Civilizations: Historical Legacy and Modern Innovation in Beijing and Athens” were discussed at the Forum.
Attendees at the opening ceremony included Lina Mendoni, Minister of Culture of Greece; Yu Yunquan, Vice President of the China International Communications Group; Lai Bo, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Greece; and Nikolaos Stampolidis, Director of the Acropolis Museum, all of whom delivered speeches. Yu Junsheng, Director of the Information Office of Beijing Municipality, delivered a video speech. Chen Wei, a representative of the Beijing Culture Forum, gave an introduction to the forum. Louis Godart, former Cultural Advisor of Italian President, and Lyu Zhou, Director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, delivered closing remarks. The dialogue was moderated by David Gosset, founder of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative.
Lina Mendoni highlighted that the wisdom of ancient Chinese and Greek thinkers has laid the foundation for modern political, social, and educational frameworks. She called for building a mutually beneficial cultural initiative for the globe based on shared values.
Yu Yunquan noted that the commonalities between Chinese and Greek civilizations reflect the shared values of humanity. He proposed that China, Greece, and Europe draw on traditional wisdom to provide intellectual resources for eliminating war, respond to common challenges through mutual exchange and learning, and explore new paths for integrating culture and technology.
Lai Bo stated that, under the guidance of both countries’ leaders, cultural exchanges between China and Greece have yielded fruitful results, including the establishment of Confucius Institutes, cultural and tourism activities, and deeper cooperation in cultural heritage. China is willing to enhance cooperation with Greece in language education and cultural and artistic exchange.
Nikolaos Stampolidis called on the international community to support the return of cultural relics and protect the integrity of cultural heritage. He noted that China and Greece will deepen cooperation in technology sharing, academic exchange, and public education to advance joint restoration efforts for cultural heritage.
At the closing ceremony, Louis Godart and Lyu Zhou emphasized the importance of China–Europe cultural exchanges, which contribute to global peace and sustainable development through strengthened cultural connections.
As a supporting event, the photo exhibition titled “Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital” opened in Athens on the same day.
