An inaugural symposium was held on Tuesday in observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, drawing together peace advocates, academics, and cultural leaders from across the world for a shared celebration of global dialogue and humanitarian legacies.

Organized by the Hong Kong Metropolitan University Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKMU LiPACE), the event was officially titled "Inaugural Peace Day Symposium and Exhibition: Bridging Global Humanitarian Legacies Across China, Scotland, and Uruguay", and was held on the Kwai Hing Campus of HKMU LiPACE.

A highlight of the symposium was the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the "Eric Liddell and Weifang Photo Exhibition", co-organized with the Weifang Municipal People's Government Culture and Tourism Bureau, the Consulate General of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay in Hong Kong, Weifang University, Nanjing University, and The Eric Liddell Community in Edinburgh.

The exhibition, which is also being staged at the Kwai Hing Campus, documents the World War II humanitarian legacy of the Scottish Olympian Eric Liddell, and the mutual aid between Western internees and local Chinese citizens at the Weihsien Internment Camp (Courtyard of the Happy Way) in Weifang, Shandong province, East China.

The camp was used by the Japanese military during World War II to intern the civilians of Allied countries. It was known as "the largest allied internment camp in Asia".

Liddell devoted himself to humanitarian work at the camp, teaching children there and organizing sports and recreational activities despite the harsh conditions and being interned himself. He passed away in February 1945, five months before the camp’s liberation.

The symposium was attended by Federico Lage Cabeza, consul-general of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay in Hong Kong, who delivered an address on the importance of UN peacekeeping missions in multilateral cooperation and international peacebuilding; and Fu Wenwen, deputy director of the Weifang Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, who delivered special remarks titled "Heritage Connects; Peace Unites".

Keynote addresses were delivered by Megan Veronesi, chief executive officer of The Eric Liddell Community in Edinburgh; professor Liu Cheng, holder of the UNESCO Chair on Peace Studies at Nanjing University; and professor Zhang Xuexiang, dean of the Foreign Language College and Institute of Peace Studies at Weifang University. Together, they mapped out a visionary synergy between historical preservation, academic research, and youth peace education.

Professor Liu opened the keynote session with "The Concepts and Actions of Building International Cities of Peace", followed by Veronesi, who delivered a humanitarian legacy speech titled "Passion, Compassion, Integrity: The Enduring Global Spirit of Eric Liddell from Scotland to Weifang". Professor Zhang then presented his peace research presentation, "Preserving the Memory of Weihsien Internment Camp: Linking Weifang to the World through a Shared Humanity".

The event was part of HKMU LiPACE's activities marking the start of the new academic year.

In his closing remarks, Benjamin Tak Yuen-chan, dean of HKMU LiPACE, emphasized the school's commitment to shaping empathetic global citizens.

"At LiPACE, we champion our Three-I Initiative: internationalization-in-place, intercultural awareness, and inclusion. This symposium serves as a living laboratory where history, cultural diplomacy, and education converge," said Chan.

During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Chinese citizens in Weifang, Shandong, risked their lives to secretly deliver food and medicine to foreign internees in the camp. This was not merely a matter of survival — it stands as a historical testament to the spirit of a community with a shared future for mankind, a principle China has consistently championed.

"It reminds us that even in the darkest days of war, the Chinese people still extended to the world a hand of the warmest humanitarian assistance. It is my hope that all of you, our students, will carry forward this empathy and practice the idea of peace in your daily lives," said Chan.

Contact the writer at dannyxu@chinadailyhk.com