Scholars push for actions in addressing global challenges

10:08, November 07, 2009

Some 300 scholars, mostly of economics and other social sciences, from home and abroad gathered here Friday to push for actions to achieve harmony in addressing global challenges such as development imbalances.

"Harmony is the only way for lasting prosperity and should become the aspiration of all civilizations," Jiang Shusheng, vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress(NPC), China's top legislature, told the Beijing Forum 2009 that opened Friday.

The current crisis exposed the conflicts of development modes and inconsistent aspects of different civilizations, he said at the three-day forum, with the theme of "the harmony of civilizations and prosperity for all".

Echoing Jiang's speech, UN deputy Secretary-General Joseph Verner Reed said "it's time to be a united and harmonious world."

He also warned that the world was barely out of the financial meltdown and would continue to be confronted with climate change, A/H1N1 flu and food shortage.

In his reference to climate change, he said the world would "sink and swim together".

He called on nations to protect the poor and disadvantaged, who are most vulnerable in this downturn.

In a taped video speech, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world was at a critical moment and also urged actions in improving health care, education, employment and food security for the poor.

Pro. Seyyed H. Nasr of the George Washington University said the world was mired in crisis and chaos.

"To achieve harmony within and between civilizations is the only way to avert a global catastrophe," he said.

Several participants interviewed by Xinhua during the break all cautioned against empty talk and hoped for actions of governments, while in strong favor of the ideal of harmony.

Ronald I. McKinnon of Stanford University said "how to achieve harmony is more of the question."

Shireen Moosvi of India's Aligarh Muslim University said "it's all about action."

The Beijing Forum, the sixth since its establishment in 2004, is an international forum co-sponsored by Peking University, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, and the Korean Foundation for Advanced Studies.

This year's forum embraces five panel sessions, three special panels and one dialogue, covering history, international relations, economics, education and culture.

Source: Xinhua