《新文科大学英语》unit8 2 Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations

新文科大学英语教师用书Unit8Reading2AdditionalresourcesThirdDialogueonExchangesandMutualLearningAmongCivilizationsby

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Jul3,2023

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HighRepresentative’sRemarksRemarksbyMr.MiguelÁngelMoratinos,Under-Secretary-GeneralandHighRepresentativefortheUnitedNationsAllianceofCivilizationsattheThirdDialogueonExchangesandMutualLearningAmongCivilizationsBeijing,China,3-4July2023YourExcellencyMr.HanZheng,VicePresidentofthePeople’sRepublicofChina,YourExcellencyMr.LiuJianchao,MinisteroftheInternationalDepartmentoftheoftheCPCCentralCommittee,Excellencies,Distinguishedguests,IwouldliketostartbyapplaudingthePresidentofChinaH.E.Mr.XiJinpingforpuntinghispoliticalweightbehindtheconceptofstrengtheningdialogueandmutualunderstandingamongcivilizations.IwarmlythanktheChineseAssociationforInternationalUnderstandingforinvitingmetoaddressthistimelyeventandprovidingtheopportunitytovisitChinaagain.Theword“civilization”issynonymouswithChinaanditsrichculturalheritageandancientcivilizations.You,asChinese,couldbeveryproudtosaythatChinaisacivilizationstate.

Historytellsusofacivilizationthatengagedandinteractedwithothercivilizationsandenrichedeachother.HencetheChineseforcivilization(WenMing)meaningcultureandenlightenmentisanaccuratedescriptionofthetruemeaningofcivilizations.LetusrecallthetripoftheItalianJesuitMatteoRiccifromEuropetoChinatomeetwithitsEmperorKangxi.HesawanEmpire,the“EmpireoftheCenter”,thatwasfarmoreadvancedthanEuropeandtheyagreedtostartanEast-Westdialoguetolearnfromeachother.Similarly,ifwelookbackattheroutesourancestorstookattheancientSilkRoad,wewillseethespiritofinclusivenessandopenness.FromtheNilevalleys,theTigris&EuphratestotheGangesandYangtzeRivers,wewillseethestoryofencountersbetweendiversepeoples,civilizationsandreligions.TheseancientSilkRoutesconnectedtheancientcivilizationsofEgyptionas,Babylonians,IndiansandChineseaswellasMuslims,ChristinasandBuddhists.Itisalwaysusefultorememberourhistorysoastobuildabetterfuture.AndtheancientSilkRoadistellingofastoryofhumanprogressaswellaseconomicprosperity.Thisyearwillmarkthe10thanniversaryofthenewBelt&Roadinitiativewhichpromotespeople-to-peopleexchangesinadditiontotheeconomiccomponents.Iwaspleasedtoparticipateinthe“Belt&Road”in2019andlookforwardtothisgatheringinOctober.ThisbringsmetotheGlobalCivilizationInitiative,whichH.E.thePresidentofChina,Mr.XiJinping,launchedearlierinMarchthisyear.TheGCIisbasedon4pillars:respectingdiversityofcivilizations,advocatingthecommonvaluesofhumanity,valuingtheheritageandinnovationofcivilizationsandstrengtheningpeople-to-peopleexchangesandcooperation.

IwishtocommendPresidentXiJinpingforhisinitiativewhereIseeclearsynergieswiththeworkoftheUnitedNationsAllianceofCivilizations.Distinguishedguests,Today’sglobalcontextiscomplex.Oldconflictsremainunresolvedandnewonesareeruptingeveryday,unhindered.Climatechange,foodsecurityandeconomicvolatilityareexacerbating.Hatespeech,xenophobiaanddiscriminationbasedonreligious,ethnicorculturalidentityareontherise.Amongintellectualsthereisareneweddebateaboutcivilization.Theconceptof“civilization”isbackontheinternationalagenda.Nevertheless,letmesharesomethoughtsaboutit.Wearequiteoftenusingconceptssuchasidentity,culture,andcivilizations,withoutdifferentiatingtherealsenseandmeaning.Identityistheprimaryconcept.Itisthefirststage.Itisourownawarenessasindividualsandmembersofourcommunitiesorsocieties.Cultureisaddedtoourownawarenessassomethingcomplementaryaddingtradition,habits,creativity,artandaesthetics.Finally,civilizationisthelaststageofourcommonpast,presentandfutureasindividualsandascitizensofastateornation.Thus,therefore,theChineseetymologyofcivilization(WenMing)means:cultureplusenlightenment.Yes,civilizationisthesystemwhereidentitiesandculturelivetogetherandcreateaframeworkofrulesandproceduresthatexplainourpastandreflectourwayoflivingtogetherinthepresentandfinallyprojectourideas,principles,andvaluesforthefuture.Thatiswhatweshoulddiscusstoday,whatkindofcivilizationshouldbedefendedandbeacceptedinordertoshapeourcommonfutureasonehumanity.Inthissense,herecomesthepolemicproposalofProfessorHuntington.Thirtyyearsago,theAmericanscientistprophesiedthatthegreatdividebetweenhumanityandthepredominantsourceofconflictwillbeculturaland/orreligious.HeidentifiedtheIslamiccivilizationasthemainpoliticalandculturaladversaryoftheWest.Nineyearslater,histhesisfoundresonanceafterthe9/11terroristattacks.ThesceneofthetotalcollapseofthetwintowerschangedtheperceptionoftheHuntingtonianprophecywhichwasre-evaluatedbytheWestbelievingthattheyhadfoundtheirnewenemy:Islam.TheAllianceofCivilizationswascreatedinawaytorefutethetheory.Weareconvincedthatreligion,cultureorcivilizationsarenottheonlyrootcausesofconflicts.Itmustbestatedbluntly:Thereisnoclashofcivilizations.Thereisaclashofignoranceandaclashofinterests.Quiteoftenidentitieswereabusedandmisused.Identities,infact,couldbeforcesforpublicgood.Thisisespeciallytrueassocietieshavebecomeincreasinglymulti-ethnic,multiculturalandmulti-religious.That’swhyitisimperativetobuildinclusiveandpeacefulsocieties.Asocietythatisstronginitsrespectforeachandeveryindividualregardlessoftheiridentity,religion,faith,color,ethnicityorgender.Asocietythatisjustinitsprotectionofallitscitizensanditscitizenrights,equallyandwithoutdiscrimination.Asocietythatisrichinitsdiversity.LadiesandGentlemen,Allthisispossibleifweallworktogetherinopeningnewchannelsfordialogue.Dialoguenurturestrust,understandingandrespect.Dialoguebetweenpeoplesservesasadiplomatictoolthatcontributestofulfillingpeace.TheGlobalCivilizationInitiativeencouragesdialogueamongpoliticalpartieswithinChinaandwithpartiesoutsideChina.TheAllianceofCivilizationsprovidesaglobalspacefordialogueamongstateandnon-stateactors.Inthis