Macao, on Wednesday, offered its response to growing global divisions with the release of the “Macao Initiative” at the inaugural International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations.

International scholars and professionals from North Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe shared a common view that diversity is a strength, culture is a living force, and sustained dialogue is essential to counter misunderstanding, exclusion and fragmentation.

Leong Wai-man, president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, unveiled the initiative at the closing ceremony of the two-day forum, which sets out five key directions ranging from global civilizational dialogue, openness-driven exchange, to heritage preservation, youth and digital innovation, and platform-building to advance China’s Global Civilization Initiative.

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“The key to civilizational dialogue lies in acknowledging differences and seeking common ground, rather than enforcing uniformity,” Leong said in her closing remarks. “Macao’s mission is to keep the dialogue among civilizations alive and ongoing.”

Elhaj Ahmed Khaled, an assistant professor of Chinese language and literature at the University of Carthage in Tunisia, said China’s philosophy of “harmony without uniformity” closely aligns with Tunisia’s own cultural traditions.

He added that Chinese language education in Tunisia has a track record of more than 40 years, and interest among Tunisian youth continues to grow.

However, he cautioned that Western media still exert strong influence in the Arab and African worlds and, often driven by political agendas, distort China’s image by promoting the so-called “clash of civilizations”.

“People are born similar in nature, but grow apart through different habits,” he said, citing a Chinese proverb. “Civilizations are not destined to clash. Distance is created by misperception, and it can also be reduced through dialogue and exchange.”

Veronica Noelia Flores, a professor and researcher at Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council, underscored the importance of culture in rebuilding social cohesion and community values. “Above all, such spaces must allow people to imagine and narrate alternative worlds and futures that respect culture, diversity and intercultural dialogue, as we have witnessed here in Macao,” she said.

Ruddy Erieyanto, a tourism and cultural heritage activist from the city of Semarang in Indonesia, shared insights on integrating cultural preservation with economic viability in the nation’s fifth-largest city, known for its blend of Javanese, Chinese and Dutch cultures.

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By making cultural heritage a pillar of sustainable development, the city has invested heavily in revitalizing its historic Chinatown district, transforming it into a vibrant cultural hub where heritage coexists with the evolving urban landscape, he said.

Looking to the future of global heritage protection, Mario Santana Quintero, a professor at Canada’s Carleton University and co-UNESCO Chair on Digital Twins for World Heritage Conservation, emphasized the role of international organizations, community involvement and the careful application of technology.

While digital tools offer new possibilities for conservation, he argued that low-capital but high-impact technological models are essential to avoid creating new inequalities and to protect the diversity of global civilizations.

The forum ran from Tuesday to Wednesday and was presented by the Macao SAR government, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR government and supported by the Chinese Academy of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Contact the writers at sophialuo@chinadailyhk.com