Chongqing - On February 27, a symposium on promoting the construction of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations was held at Southwest University in China's Chongqing. 

The four Chinese universities that participated in the construction of the Center will give full play to their respective advantages to build the Center into an international platform for personnel training, scientific research, social services, and high-level think tanks and will work as the China-Central and Eastern European people-to-people exchange base as well as a bridge of cooperation between China and Europe.

The symposium on promoting the construction of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations was held at Southwest University on February 27. (Photo/ Southwest University)

Talking about the construction objectives of the Center, Cui Yanqiang, Vice-president of Southwest University and Chinese Director of the Center, said that the center would promote the international dissemination of Chinese culture through academic research, promote the cooperation between Chinese and Greek higher education through joint international training of talents. It would also promote the people-to-people bonds between China-Greece and China-Europe through the two-way flow of students and scholars, and promote the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the joint construction of a community of shared future for humanity.

As the leading university, Southwest University President Zhang Weiguo said, "Southwest University would work with Chinese and Greek universities to jointly carry out personnel training, scientific research, academic exchanges, cultural exchanges, and social services."

Professor Zhao Yufang, Dean of Westa College, Southwest University, and deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, said, "Education is an important part of mutual learning among civilizations, and universities are an important force in promoting mutual understanding." The Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations was established with the participation of 8 universities from the two countries. It will help Chinese higher education build a stronger cooperative relationship with Greece and other countries. 

Wang Yi, Vice-president of the Renmin University of China, said that the Renmin University of China has a rich background in the study of ancient Greek philosophy and will continue to strengthen research on ancient Greek philosophy and Chinese excellent traditional culture by relying on the exchange platforms such as ancient Greek philosophy seminars, and promote cultural exchanges and development between China and Greece.

Han Shenghao, Vice-president of Shandong University, said, "Shandong University would try to conduct joint archaeological and related scientific research with Greek universities. Fu Qilin, Director of the Social Science Research Office of Sichuan University, said that the school would rely on the advantages of humanities and social sciences to strengthen research on Chinese cultural inheritance and global communication innovation, comparison, and mutual understanding of different civilizations around the world."

On February 20, the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations was officially inaugurated in Athens, the capital of Greece. Southwest University established the Center in China in collaboration with three domestic universities, Renmin University of China, Shandong University, Sichuan University, and four Greek universities, including the University of Athens, the University of Patras, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the University of Crete.

On February 20, the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations was officially inaugurated in Athens, the capital of Greece. (Photo/Southwest University)