2026 Nishan World Civilization Forum was held in Qufu, Shandong to discuss civilization, order and justice

China News Service, Qufu, Shandong Province, September 29 (Zhou Yiwei, Sun Tingting) In the golden autumn, Nishan Mountain is verdant and Sishui River is soupy. The 2026 Nishan World Civilization Forum (referred to as "Nishan Forum") will be held in Qufu, Shandong Province from September 28th to 29th. Coinciding with the 2577th anniversary of the birth of Confucius, Chinese and foreign dignitaries, experts, scholars and representatives from all walks of life gathered at the foot of Nishan to conduct in-depth dialogues around the theme of "Civilization, Order and Justice".

Since the first forum was held in 2010, the Nishan Forum has gone through 16 years. Going to Nishan again is a look back and a new search.

Answer a question in 2016

"Book of Changes" has a saying: "Observe astronomy to observe the changes of time; observe humanities to transform the world." In 2010, the first Nishan Forum was titled "Harmony in Diversity and a Harmonious World", which placed the ideal expectation of mutual learning among civilizations.

Sixteen years later, when changes over the past century are accelerating and global governance is facing multiple challenges, the answers given by the Nishan Forum have become increasingly clear and specific. "The Book of Songs" says: "Although Zhou was an old state, its destiny was renewed." Nishan Forum adheres to this "old state and new destiny" and continues to respond to the propositions of the times in its inheritance.

Sossyara, First Vice Chairman of the Central Foreign Affairs Committee of the Cambodian People's Party and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, explained the essence of this Nishan Forum in his speech: "Civilization gives human beings identity and wisdom, order provides conditions for peaceful coexistence, and justice maintains this order." In his view, the Nishan Forum provides a platform to transform the grand principles of civilization, order and justice into meaningful dialogue.

From the release of the "Nishan Harmony Declaration" at the first forum in 2010 to the release of the "2026 Nishan World Civilization Forum Consensus" at the closing ceremony of this forum, the Nishan Forum has always been doing the same thing: building consensus in dialogue and letting consensus guide action.

Thousand-year-old Confucianism meets artificial intelligence

"The Analects of Confucius" says: "If a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his tools." But for tools to be used, they must be controlled by the Tao. Artificial intelligence is a sharp weapon, and the answer to civilized dialogue is how to make the sharp weapon not contradict people's hearts and justice.

One of the highlights of this Nishan Forum is the in-depth discussion of artificial intelligence within the framework of civilization development. Experts and scholars in the fields of artificial intelligence, philosophy, ethics and other fields focus on cross-border discussions on global issues such as algorithmic bias, digital divide, and technology ethics.

"If Confucius was living today and faced with various problems brought by artificial intelligence, could he find a way to solve them?" Wei Yanhua, deputy director of the Confucius Institute, asked this question at the Nishan Forum.

His answer is yes.

He said that Confucius once said, "Even if it lasts a hundred years, it can still be known." Facing the current new problems, Confucius will not stick to the old rules, but will use this set of introspective and prudent thoughts to help the people resolve the social challenges brought by artificial intelligence.

"When poverty leads to change, change leads to generalization, and generalization leads to long-term development." The key to the continuous development of Chinese civilization lies in the dialectical wisdom of "reform" and "profit and loss". When millennium-old Confucianism meets artificial intelligence, the inspiration given by the Nishan Forum is: technology is constantly iterating, humanistic determination is unshakable, and we must be cautious to meet the changes of the times.

Write consensus into the world

The value of a forum is ultimately reflected in what it can leave for the world, and more importantly, whether these thoughts can be translated into the word "practice diligently."

The "2026 Nishan World Civilization Forum Consensus" was released at the closing ceremony of this Nishan Forum, which mentioned that every civilization in the world has its own value. There is no distinction between superior and inferior, and all enjoy the right and space for inheritance and development on an equal basis. The international order cannot be defined by a few countries, but needs to be shaped and safeguarded by all countries. The world needs justice, not tyranny. All countries and nations should respect each other and abide by justice.

"The integration of civilizations cannot be separated from a healthy order, and the construction of order cannot be separated from cultural infiltration and consensus building." Yu Junwu, chairman of the Australian Federation of Chinese Cultural and Art Circles (Australian Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles), said that culture is a deep link that condenses social consensus and builds a civilized order. It can nourish people's hearts with culture, gather consensus with activities, and establish norms with organizations, so that people from different backgrounds can coexist harmoniously and move forward hand in hand in the recognition of common values.

“We know each other no matter how far away we are, but we are still neighbors thousands of miles away.” The Nishan Forum is moving from the hometown of Confucius to the world stage. Going to Nishan again is an appointment with civilization that spans mountains and seas, and is also a common route to the future.