Published: 12:14, November 10, 2026 | Updated: 18:38, November 10, 2026
Future of civilizations
By Wang Zhan in Hong Kong
Tim Williams, emeritus professor of Silk Roads Archaeology of the Institute of Archaeology at University College London, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Speakers discussed key topics centering on the civilizations along the Maritime Silk Road and the intersection of artificial intelligence development and human values, exploring both historical and future cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, on the second day of the 2026 International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations in Macao on Tuesday.
Hosted at the Galaxy International Convention Center, the two-day event is themed “Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Inheritance and Development,” reflecting the vision behind the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China in 2023.
China Daily's Parker Zheng took the photos on Tuesday.
Rita Sousa Tavares, director of the Alburquerque Foundation, Portugal, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Participants attend an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Chen Chengxin, professor and assistant dean of the School of Government at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Eduardo Daniel Oviedo, principal researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) and professor of history of contemporary international relations at the National University of Rosario, Argentina, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Artificial Intelligence and Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations" for a sub-forum titled "The Glory of Civilizations in the AI Era" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Participants attend an academic salon titled "Artificial Intelligence and Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations" for a sub-forum titled "The Glory of Civilizations in the AI Era" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)(From left) Zhong Yi Seabra de Mascarenhas, vice-president of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Foundation; Rita Sousa Tavares, director of the Alburquerque Foundation, Portugal; Tim Williams, emeritus professor of Silk Roads Archaeology of the Institute of Archaeology at University College London; Thomas Patrick Dwyer, Brazilian director of the CASS-Unicamp Centre for China Studies and full professor of sociology at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), Brazil; and Rafael Antonio Ezequiel Alfenim, curator of ceramics collection at the National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon, Portugal, attend an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Participants listen during an academic salon titled "Maritime Silk Road and the History and Future of Sino-Portuguese Civilization Exchange" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Pedro Steenhagen, assistant professor of the Institute for Research on Portugese-speaking Countries at the City University of Macau, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "China and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries Advance the Implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Luis Antonio Paulino, professor of the Faculty of Philosophy and Sciences at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "China and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries Advance the Implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Participants attend an academic salon titled "China and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries Advance the Implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative" for a sub-forum titled "Cultural Connections between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Hang Min, professor and associate dean of international development of the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Artificial Intelligence and Human Values" for a sub-forum titled "The Glory of Civilizations in the AI Era" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Ip Kuai-peng, president of the Union of Macau Scholars and pro-rector of City University of Macau, delivers a speech during an academic salon titled "Artificial Intelligence and Human Values" for a sub-forum titled "The Glory of Civilizations in the AI Era" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Participants attend an academic salon titled "Artificial Intelligence and Human Values" for a sub-forum titled "The Glory of Civilizations in the AI Era" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Deland Leong Wai-man (right), director of the Culture and Sports Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, shakes hands with Jezio Hernani Bomfim Gutierre, chairman of the Publishing Foundation at Sao Paulo State University, during an agreement signing ceremony for publishing cooperation, at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Lam Fat-iam, president of the Association of Publication of Cultural Education of Macao, delivers a speech during the book launch of "Anthology of the Special Column: Glimpse into Chinese Culture" at the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)Deland Leong Wai-man (right), director of the Culture and Sports Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, delivers a speech during the closing ceremony of the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026 in Macao on Nov 10, 2026. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)
Copyright 1995 - 2026. All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily. Without written authorization from China Daily, such content shall not be republished or used in any form.
