Chongqing — Leading scholars and cultural experts from around the world gathered on Thursday, September 18, for the Thematic Sharing Event on Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange, focusing on "Exchange and Mutual Learning of the World’s Great River Civilizations and High-Quality Integrated Development of the Culture and Tourism Industry."
The Thematic Sharing Event on Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange was held aboard the Yangtze Miracle Cruise in Chongqing, bringing together Chinese and international experts for in-depth dialogue. (Photo/Natalia Vakhrusheva)
Held aboard on a Yangtze River cruise ship, the forum highlighted the connections between major river civilizations—from the Yangtze and Nile to the Amazon, Indus, and Mesopotamia—and explored how these ancient legacies can shape cultural cooperation and sustainable tourism today.
The morning session featured keynote speeches. Elsawy Elsawy Ahmed Abdelrahem, professor at Benha University in Egypt, drew parallels between the Yangtze and Nile civilizations, emphasizing their thousands of years of history and shared legacies in agriculture, trade, and urban development. He highlighted similarities between archaeological sites in China and Egypt, including pyramids, temples, and ancient cities. "Dialogue between the Yangtze and Nile can be a model of cultural cooperation, sustainable development, and mutual learning," Elsawy said, calling for joint exhibitions, scholar exchanges, and collaborative training programs in heritage preservation, water management, agriculture, environmental conservation, and tourism.
Elsawy Elsawy Ahmed Abdelrahem, professor at Benha University in Egypt, is delivering his speech at the Thematic Sharing Event on the Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange. (Photo/Deng Nan)
Magnus Widell, reader at the University of Liverpool, underscored the importance of comparative research between the Mesopotamian and the Yangtze River civilizations. As an Assyriologist and Sumerologist, Widell proposed joint projects on water management, agriculture, and early writing systems, along with public-facing initiatives such as exhibitions and cultural festivals. “While the Tigris, Euphrates, and Yangtze rivers never meet, we have the opportunity to create a new confluence of scholarship and cultural exchange,” Widell said.
Keynote speeches by guests during the Thematic Sharing Event on the Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange. (Photo/ Deng Nan)
Nora Sofia Cevallos, researcher from Brazil, shared insights from the Amazon River basin, describing how indigenous communities transform river heritage into sustainable cultural and economic opportunities through eco-lodges, oral storytelling projects, and river festivals.“Culture is always in movement, just like rivers,” she said, urging investment in sustainable tourism that empowers local communities and safeguards endangered traditions.
Muhammad Hameed, chairman of the Department of Archaeology at the University of the Punjab in Pakistan, focused on the Indus Valley Civilization, emphasizing its global significance and potential for “Indus River Tourism” in collaboration with Chinese institutions. “The mighty Indus, also called the Lion River, is the backbone of Pakistan’s agriculture,” Hameed said. “Exploring its legacy with our Chinese colleagues will strengthen our cultural ties and revive a neglected heritage.”
Experts and scholars attentively take notes and engage in discussions during the Thematic Sharing Event on the Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange. (Photo/Natalia Vakhrusheva)
By linking the experiences of the Yangtze, Nile, Amazon, Indus, and Mesopotamian civilizations, the forum underscored the shared challenges and opportunities facing river cultures worldwide. Speakers agreed that collaborative research, cultural dialogue, and sustainable tourism can help preserve ancient traditions while generating new pathways for cultural and economic development.
In the afternoon, the forum continued with the Chinese and International Experts Dialogue of the Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange, themed "The Diverse Charms and Shared Development of the World's Great Rivers Civilizations." The event brought together Chinese and international experts for in-depth discussions, beginning with presentations by group leaders, followed by speeches, free discussions, and summaries from each group.
Discussion during the Chinese and International Experts Dialogue of the Yangtze River Culture Tour and Exchange (Photo/Deng Nan)
Experts explored exchanges and mutual learning among world river civilizations, as well as strategies for high-quality cultural tourism development. This examination included comparative studies of river basin civilizations, historical experiences with river ecology, and the protection and innovative preservation of heritage in the digital era. Another focus was the protection and inheritance of the Yangtze River Civilization, alongside its creative transformation and innovative cultural development, emphasizing regional heritage, contributions to the pluralistic unity of Chinese civilization, and the use of digital technology to enhance cultural communication. Discussions also highlighted practical experiences in ecological protection and promoting sustainable development in the upper reaches of the Yangtze, reinforcing the theme of collaboration and shared learning among river cultures.