By John Dunkelgrün
On 7 June 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/78/286, declaring June 10th as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The resolution, originally proposed by the People’s Republic of China, was quickly seconded by eighty nations.
On June 10th of this year, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Netherlands, in partnership with Diplomat Magazine, hosted an event at the Peace Palace to commemorate and highlight this vital initiative for the second time.
At a time when the global order that has brought unprecedented prosperity and well-being to billions is threatened by war, mass migration, and climate change, it is easy to grow cynical about such efforts. Yet, to quote Sir Winston Churchill:
“To talk-talk-talk is always better than to war-war-war.”
China clearly takes this initiative very seriously. The Honorable Mr. Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, recorded a keynote speech for the occasion that was broadcast to Chinese embassies worldwide, anchoring the event at the Peace Palace. He was followed by H.E. Mr. Shen Bo, Ambassador to the Netherlands, and H.E. Mr. Vusi Philemon Madonsela, Ambassador of South Africa.
All three speakers underscored that dialogue is the only viable tool to bridge the immense confidence gap that has widened across the globe. As ambassador Shen mentioned “Civilizations may differ fundamentally, but no single culture holds a monopoly on wisdom. Just as football fans admire the vastly different styles of Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappé, the global community must learn to appreciate cultural diversity as an asset rather than a threat.”
To illustrate this fusion of civilizations, the embassy welcomed Dutch singer Cindy van Minnen, award winner of the “Water Cube Cup” Chinese Song Contest who performed “Left Hand Points to the Moon” a beautifully soothing Chinese melody.
Additionally, Mr. Jin Yinfei, Director of the Zhejiang Art Museum, presented a fascinating artwork; an object resembling a classical French marble bust, crafted by a Chinese paper-art master into an amazingly morphable sculpture.
Whether the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations will have a substantive effect on global tensions remains to be seen. However, every effort to encourage nations to speak to one another—and to truly understand one another rather than fight—is inherently worthwhile. It is a great pity that this event, much like the major Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, receives so little media attention.
