A cultural exchange event is held in Qufu on Sept 26

As a vital sub-forum of the ninth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, the Nishan Forum on Arts was held at Nishan Sacred Land in Qufu, Shandong province, on Sept 26.

Experts and young scholars from China, Japan, South Korea, Madagascar, Myanmar, Vietnam and other countries were invited to share their academic perspectives and insights, creating a platform for dialogue on the development of the arts and how to shape a better future for all.

Based on the theme of "Connections between Civilizations through Arts", the forum aimed to bolster cultural exchanges with an open mind and encourage Chinese artists to engage in deeper dialogue with their counterparts from around the world.

During the keynote speech session, Pan Lusheng, vice-chairman of the Chinese Writers' Association, elaborated on the historical inheritance and contemporary creation of the peony as an artistic theme, emphasizing the role of typical artistic themes in enhancing cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

Pan stated that currently, peonies, originally from China, are being cultivated in dozens of countries worldwide.

"To integrate peony art into international exchanges, it is necessary to inherit and carry forward the traditional peony culture of our nation and seek the eternal values of human civilization through the natural vitality of the peony," he added.

During the roundtable dialogue, experts, scholars and artists were divided into three groups, discussing issues under the themes of "Strengthening Cultural Exchange and Mutual Learning through Art," "Building a Community of Shared Destiny for All Humanity through Art" and "Technological Progress and Artistic Innovation".

Ahead of this year's forum, invited guests wrote more than 20 themed papers totaling about 170,000 words, with thoughtful and in-depth explorations of how to engage in cultural exchange and dialogue in the new era and strengthen the inheritance of excellent traditional cultures.