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Declaration of Beijing Forum 2004
PKU NEWS 2005--11—14
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=131942511
We, who are scholars in the humanities and social sciences from more than 30
countries in five continents, have assembled here to celebrate the recent successful
conclusion of the first Beijing Forum. The subject of this forum was ―The Harmony
and Prosperity of Civilizations.‖
In the dawn of human civilization, our ancestors in all nations in the world had
already engendered their own glories. In the long river of history, numerous waves of
civilization converged and were united, propelling the human race in an ascendant
arc, evolving ceaselessly on the ladder of civilization. Looking back on the past two
millennia, we find that although history is marked by numerous conflicts and wars,
the dynamics and basic assurances of its development are still the exchanges of
cultures in friendship and the convergences of civilizations in peace.
Today, standing on a land brightened by the rising sun of a new century, peoples of
all countries are assembled at the starting line of the advancement of civilization. The
advancement of civilization in the 21st century is facing unprecedented opportunities
and challenges as well. There exist in the contemporary world all kinds of
complicated and intricate conflicts, as well as many difficulties challenging
humankind. But, however many are the conflicts, however great be the difficulties,
we can only count on ourselves to overcome them. We have a firm trust in the
peoples of the 21st century, that they are experienced enough, capable enough, and
especially intelligent enough, to solve these conflicts and overcome these difficulties.
Through the efforts of this generation and the next, human civilizations will be united
in wisdom and in peace, united in understanding and in cooperation, united by
overcoming all hindrances, and developing continually to embrace new glory.
As human civilization advances in the 21st century, the mission for the entire human
societyis clear: solve the conflicts, overcome the difficulties, co-exist in harmony, and
prosper in common. We, who are intellectuals in the humanities and social sciences,
should be especially responsible for this goal. Knowledge in humanities and social
sciences is knowledge about human beings; it is a search into the destiny of
mankind, into the questions accompanying the progress of human society.
Achievements in the humanities and social sciences arise from the cumulation of
experience–lessons acquired from the progress of human society. Scholars in the
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