Macau Hosts Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilisations
The second edition of the International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilisations opened Monday at the Galaxy International Conference Centre in Macau.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Cultural
The 1.5-day forum opened on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Macau, with nearly 300 representatives from more than 20 countries taking part in exchange sessions. Speakers argued that China's global policies could offer an alternative to Western approaches.
Why it matters
The forum brings together scholars, think-tank leaders and university presidents to discuss cultural exchange and China's place in global dialogue. Its framing reflects ongoing debate over how different civilisations learn from one another.
The forum runs 1.5 days and features exchange sessions involving nearly 300 representatives from more than 20 countries. Outcomes, attendance comparisons with the first edition and formal conclusions were not reported.
The players
Jasna Plevnik
Jasna Plevnik is president of the Croatian think tank Geoeconomic Forum Croatia, which focuses on geoeconomic analysis.
Li Cheng
Li Cheng is director of the Centre on Contemporary China at the University of Hong Kong and a scholar of Chinese politics and society.
Qiang Shigong
Qiang Shigong is president of Minzu University of China, a Beijing institution focused on ethnic minority education and research.
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of the People's Republic of China.
The details
Keynote speaker Li Cheng addressed the concept of 'harmony without uniformity' in Eastern civilisation, while other sessions examined how China's policies could set a global example. President Xi Jinping has stressed China's confidence in its own path, theory and system, and has said the country's traditional culture is built on over 5,000 years of civilisation.
Timeline
Monday, November 9, 2026: Second edition of the forum opens in Macau at the Galaxy International Conference Centre.
Cultural Dialogue Framework
The forum extends China's Global Civilization Initiative, announced by Xi Jinping in 2023, into a dedicated international exchange format. It reflects the initiative's emphasis on mutual learning among civilisations as an alternative framing to Western-led cultural diplomacy.
The forum is an intergovernmental and academic gathering rather than a consumer event, so its sessions are not open for general public ticketing based on the extraction. Readers interested in its discussions may follow published coverage of the sessions and their outcomes as they become available.
The takeaway
Cultural exchange forums increasingly test whether models of development and civilisational identity can be shared across national traditions. Readers can watch how such dialogues shape diplomatic and academic debate over the coming years.
Further reading
Explore more in Cultural coverage of how civilisations exchange ideas across borders.
