The Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting, with the theme Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development, was held in Beijing on July 10-11. More than 600 guests, from 140 countries or regions, attended. Twenty-nine women officials from 12 Latin American countries, including Panama, Uruguay, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Honduras and Colombia, were invited to attend the meeting and its subforum on Inter-Civilization Exchanges and Mutual Learning: Innovative Development of Science and Technology. The women also participated in a training course on capacity building for women officials from Latin American countries. The course, sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce, was organized by China Women's University (the All-China Women's Federation Executive Leadership Academy). It was held in Beijing from July 2-15.
Intercultural Dialogue
During the meeting, the Latin American women said they could feel China's respect for the civilizations of all countries. They said they understood the Global Civilization Initiative (proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2023) is deeply rooted in China's fine traditional culture, with seeking common ground and harmonious coexistence being the core essence.
Sorilenny Claribel Custodio Brito, from the Dominican Republic, was quoted as saying, "Every country has its own rich history and civilization, but no country's civilization has lasted for about 5,000 years, like China's. It is truly incredible. This is precisely the image of Chinese civilization in the hearts of the people of Latin America, as vast as the sea, with the magnanimity and strength to embrace all rivers."
Jenny Elizabeth Sotil Caycho, from Peru, said her most profound impression of the meeting was "it is a rich and colorful dialogue." She said she believes the purpose of dialogue among civilizations is to find similarities among civilizations, and to try to establish a "brotherhood" among those civilizations. "We should pay attention to how the civilization of one country influences another, and to how the latter absorbs and feeds back the influences," she says.
Libia Porras Murillo, from Costa Rica, said the most important message conveyed during the meeting was how to "strive together." She said, "I hope the characteristics of each country, and each civilization, can be respected, the commonalities between China and Latin America can be sought, and meaningful cultural dialogue can be truly established through cooperation and exchanges."
Martha Miguelina Feliu Caraballo, from the Dominican Republic, said she learned a lot through attending the meeting. "I have learned that each country should find its own goals and, like China, persistently follow its own development path, and system. I hope women in the Dominican Republic, whether in cities or rural areas, will benefit from the development. China's development should serve as a source of inspiration, and encouragement, for other countries to strive forward."
Some of the women wore the emblem of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) during the meeting. "I have felt the great influence of ACWF, and women's federations, at all levels," said Suyapa Del Carmen Izaguirre Hernandez, from Honduras. She expressed her admiration for the extensiveness, precision and strength of ACWF's organizational structure. "It embodies the unity and capability of women," she said.
Yuri Lisbeth Jimenez Perez, also from Honduras, agrees. She says wearing ACWF's emblem brings a sense of pride. "It embodies the strength of women and demonstrates women's efforts to secure their status, and rights, as well as the strong support women have received, which is very touching," she says.
Mariana Calvo Brenes, from Costa Rica, was interested in the emblem's design. The core pattern consists of three rotating and overlapping traditional Chinese characters 女 (nü, meaning woman). She said the emblem resembles hands being held together; yet, it also resembles the letter W, for the English word "women."
"I like the strength symbolized by the emblem. I think the system of ACWF represents the connection, sharing and strength of women, as well as their ability to tackle challenges. ACWF is an excellent case of women, which our country needs to understand and learn from," she says.
Mutual Learning
The women stressed the significance of "mutual learning" during the meeting. They said they hoped to learn from China's development experience, the working mechanism of ACWF, and the strengths of different civilizations. On July 12, the women participated in the meeting's subforum on Inter-Civilization Exchanges and Mutual Learning: Innovative Development of Science and Technology. The subforum, hosted by China Association for Science and Technology, focused on various issues, including the building of value ethics, the protection of cultural diversity, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and its impact on culture.
The women listened attentively to experts' speeches, interacted with the experts and reflected on how science and technology can better empower human society.
"Although AI has developed rapidly, it still has its limitations, especially in terms of technical ethics, which have not yet been fully perfected. I think the significance of AI for the development of mankind lies in its role as a supplement, and improvement, rather than a complete replacement," said Javiera Sofía Cabello Robertson, from Chile.
Brito agreed. "During the process of technological evolution, the shaping of the technology's self-awareness represents a significant leap. However, AI should be utilized rationally, rather than simply replacing humans."
Maria Yessenia Vargas Ladino, from Colombia, expressed concern about whether women would be able to enjoy, fairly, the fruits of sci-tech development in the AI era. She also expressed concern about how the impacts of technological crises and equality dilemmas, resulting from technological progress, would affect women.
Elsa Patricia Riaño Acosta, from Colombia, wanted to know how the countries along the Belt and Road have utilized AI technologies in social and economic activities. Colombia joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2025.
The women also experienced traditional Chinese culture and craftsmanship during the subforum. They were impressed by traditional Chinese puzzles, such as Lu Ban lock, magic rings and V-shaped clasps.
Ladino and Perez said they were particularly interested in Lu Ban lock, and they said they were impressed by its exquisite design and craftsmanship.
Printmaking and calligraphies also caught the interest of the women, many of whom made their first attempt at writing with a brush pen. Aurora Del Pilar Castro Serrano, from Panama, was especially delighted to learn the Chinese character 福 (fu) meant blessings and good fortune. She said she would like to take good fortune from China to her family in Panama.
Harmonious Coexistence
Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, a dance drama presented by Beijing-based China Oriental Performing Arts Group, touched the women's hearts.
The drama tells a story closely related to A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing. The masterpiece of traditional Chinese landscape painting is characterized by its depiction of the blue and green colors. It has a history of nearly 1,000 years, and is said to have been painted by Wang Ximeng, the 18-year-old genius, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
"I was impressed by the beautiful music, elegant traditional costumes and the harmonious relationship between humans and nature conveyed by the dance drama," Brenes said.
"I not only saw the beauty of the blue and green colors in the dance drama, but also the beauty of art, the beauty of love, and the genuine emotions from the heart," Joselyn Viviana Chaves Herrera, from Costa Rica, said.
Milenka Victoria Toro Vejar, from Chile, said the dance drama showcased a beautiful admiration for nature, and the painting, A Panorama of Mountains and Rivers, had been perfectly integrated into the dance drama.
Friendships, derived from close contacts between people, are key to sound, State-to-State relations. The women said they hoped to establish stable, long-term ties with China, and to enhance cooperation in various areas, including culture, art, sports and technology.
Brenes, mayor of the Municipal Council of the District of Cervantes, Costa Rica, said the relationship between China and Latin America has entered a new stage, one of greater maturity, unity and mutual assistance.
Adilis Noris Torres Hernandez, secretary general of the Federation of Cuban Women in Mayabeque, said she believed women will contribute to sports exchanges between China and Latin America. She also said Chinese and Latin American women will work together to construct a highly interconnected world, with a shared future.
Perez, regional coordinator of the Ministry of Women of Honduras, told People's Daily (official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China) China has set an example in promoting cultural inheritance and development, and in advancing global cultural dialogue. She expects more countries will benefit from the Global Civilization Initiative.
Photos from School of International Education of China Women's University
(Women of China English Monthly September 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
