Highlights of speeches of global leaders at forum

There is a concept that is increasingly being built and repeated — a concept that China has put forth: the dialogue of civilizations.

This stands in contrast to a far-right thesis that has emerged from American sociology, put forward by Samuel Huntington, which posits a clash of civilizations.

It is a concept that decisively moves us toward the possibility of a united humanity, built upon its own diversity. But why do we want a united humanity? Not only for peace — though peace is the fruit of a united humanity — but because we can look even further.

This horizontal dialogue, unlike the vertical one, can be free of authoritarianism, free of imperialism — a true peer-to-peer interaction among civilizations. In this, Europe and Africa would play a fundamental role on one side, and China and Asia on the other.