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The 2025 Nanjing Forum on Yangtze River Culture was held
Xin Changxing, Fu Hua and Liu Dongshun attended and delivered speeches
On November 21st, the 2025 Nanjing Forum on Yangtze River Culture was held. Xin Changxing, the Secretary of the Provincial committee, Fu Hua, the president of Xinhua News Agency, and Liu Dongshun, the vice minister of Water Resources, attended the main forum and delivered speeches. Lidia Brito, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, delivered a video message.
Xin Changxing, on behalf of the provincial committee of the Communist Party of China and the provincial government, extended a warm welcome to all the guests attending the forum. He said that the great rivers and lakes in the world are often not only geographical coordinates but also cradles of civilization. The Yangtze River is a representative symbol of the Chinese nation and a landmark of Chinese civilization. When it flows to Jiangsu, it connects the Huai and Jiang Rivers and reaches the Yellow Sea with an open and composed posture, laying the geographical shape of Jiangsu, shaping its economic veins and forging its cultural soul. The culture of the Yangtze River has been, is and will always be our most precious spiritual wealth worthy of cherishing. Contribute more to the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
It not only points out the direction for carrying forward the Chinese cultural heritage but also contributes wisdom to the development of human civilization. The Yangtze River culture is inclusive and all-encompassing, serving as an important vehicle for promoting mutual learning among civilizations and providing valuable spiritual wealth for building a community with a shared future for mankind. Taking the holding of this forum as an opportunity, Xinhua News Agency will work with all parties to continue telling the story of the Yangtze River in the new era, as well as the story of Jiangsu’s implementation of the “river Strategy” and promotion of high-quality development. It will vigorously study and promote Yangtze River culture, and use the Yangtze River as a medium to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges among different countries and regions, so that Yangtze River culture can better reach the world and move towards the future.
Liu Dongshun pointed out that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has put forward new tasks and requirements for the protection and governance of rivers. Form a pattern of river protection and governance in which rivers nourish the people, the people protect the rivers, and humans and water coexist in harmony.
Lydia Brito said that rivers shape human civilization and are living archives that carry history, memory and creativity. China has been continuously promoting the ecological and environmental protection of the Yangtze River, setting an outstanding example of the coordinated efforts of science, policy and culture to restore ecological balance. We are willing to join hands with all parties to make efforts to enable rivers to better nourish nature and moisten the soul, and contribute to global sustainable development. Li Zhongjun, the acting mayor of Nanjing, stated that Nanjing will adopt an open attitude to integrate into the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the joint construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with everyone around protecting historical and cultural heritage, empowering the green development of the city, and stimulating the vitality of Yangtze River culture, so as to jointly inject civilized impetus into sustainable development.
The keynote speeches were delivered by Xia Zehan, Director of the UNESCO East Asia Multi-Sectoral Regional Office, Yang Guishan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hohai University, Mohamed Hegaji, Director of the North Africa Regional Office of the World Urban Organization, and Chen Tongbin, Chief Expert of China Construction Technology Group.
The theme of this forum is “Mutual Learning among Rivers and Streams, Gathering for the Future”. At the forum, “The Way to Peace, Prosperity and Benefit the People – Research on River Strategy in the New Era”, the “From the Yangtze River to the Ocean” aquatic Life Protection Action plan were released, and the publication project of “Eternal Waves of the Yangtze River – A Comprehensive Collection of Yangtze River Cultural Heritage” was initiated.
Provincial leaders Chu Yonghong and Xu Ying, as well as Ren Weidong, deputy editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, attended the main forum. Some international organizations, international think tanks along the Belt and Road Initiative, international news agencies, mainstream media from major river basin countries, representatives of mayors of world cities, government officials from some countries and representatives of embassies and consulates in China, as well as renowned cultural experts and scholars attended the event.
