Sinologists conference kicks off in China's Dunhuang

Abstract : The Third World Conference of Sinologists opened on Wednesday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in northwest China's Gansu Province. The event has seen scholars and cultural figures from around the world explore how Chinese civilization can contribute to addressing shared global challenges amid growing uncertainty.

People take part in the third World Conference of Sinologists in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, on June 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Keying)

LANZHOU, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The Third World Conference of Sinologists opened on Wednesday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in northwest China's Gansu Province. The event has seen scholars and cultural figures from around the world explore how Chinese civilization can contribute to addressing shared global challenges amid growing uncertainty.

Themed "Pooling Wisdom of Civilizations to Jointly Address Challenges of Our Times," the event has attracted over 300 delegates from around 70 countries.

Sinology originated in China, belongs to the world, and is a shared intellectual treasure of all humanity, said Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, a Sinologist and former president of Ethiopia, at the opening ceremony.

"The event contributes to the construction of new and enduring bridges toward a world founded upon mutual trust, shared human dignity, empathy, and sustainable peace," said Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca'Foscari University of Venice.

She added that history, culture, and imagination meet across centuries in Dunhuang, which offers a particularly meaningful setting for current-day dialogue.

During the conference, four sub-forums are scheduled on topics including the global significance of Chinese modernization, the peace-oriented values embedded in Chinese civilization, the historical evolution of Sinology and cross-cultural exchanges, as well as the contemporary relevance of traditional Chinese philosophical thought.

The choice of Dunhuang as host city carries special symbolic significance. Over 2,000 years ago, the city served as a vital crossroads on the ancient Silk Road, witnessing the movement of Chinese silk and tea to the West and the arrival in China of once alien produce such as grapes, carrots and pomegranates.

Today, Dunhuang remains a major cultural landmark, home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites and more than 260 registered cultural relic sites.

Actresses perform during the third World Conference of Sinologists in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, June 3, 2026.

The third World Conference of Sinologists opened on Wednesday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in northwest China's Gansu Province. The event has seen scholars and cultural figures from around the world explore how Chinese civilization can contribute to addressing shared global challenges amid growing uncertainty.