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International Academic Conference on the Ideas of Human Rights in Ancient Chinese Classics is held on November 20, 2024. Photo: China Society for Human Rights Studies

China's concept of human rights stems from the evolution of Chinese civilization and centuries of cultural exchange. Drawing on classic Chinese texts, Chinese and international scholars explore and elaborate on the principles of human rights development at an international conference held in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province on Wednesday, promoting civilizational exchange and contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to the global human rights advancement.

The international academic conference on the ideas of human rights in ancient Chinese classics was hosted by the China Society for Human Rights Studies, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Hunan Provincial Committee, and Hunan University at the historic Yuelu Academy in Changsha. More than 200 scholars, officials and representatives from think tanks from China and over a dozen countries, including the US, Canada, Italy, Japan, and Pakistan, attended the event and shared their perspectives on human rights.

At the opening ceremony, performers depicted people-centered principles and other human rights concepts from ancient Chinese classics. In ancient China, many sages explored early notions of human rights, with their ideas preserved in texts and passed down through the ages, showcasing Chinese culture's respect and care for individuals and the pursuit of fairness, justice, harmonious coexistence, and peaceful development.

While delivering a keynote speech at the conference on Wednesday, Jiang Jianguo, executive vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said that historical insights are fundamental to knowledge building. For a long time, Western narratives - such as the claim of Western civilization's superiority over Eastern civilization - along with "Western-centric" methodological frameworks, led many scholars to believe China's ancient society lacked a history of human rights.

However, as a nation with over 5,000 years of civilization and immense cultural heritage, China has long embedded respect for human rights in its traditions. Ancient Chinese society and traditional culture consistently emphasized the dignity and value of humanity, advocating for people-centered governance, compassion for others, and prioritizing human well-being, said Jiang.

Europe and China share historical similarities in human rights concepts. Confucius, one of China's greatest thinkers, said, "Within the four seas, all men are brothers," reflecting the belief that all people are connected, akin to the Western principle of equality and universal brotherhood, Giuseppina Merchionne, president of The Belt and Road Initiative Italy - China Center of Collaboration and Cultural Exchanges, said at the conference. 

Building on these shared cultural foundations, I hope we can work together toward our common goal: creating a better, freer, and more just world. This ideal lies at the heart of human rights and is a vision we both strive to achieve, said Merchionne. 

Christophe Peschoux, with more than 40 years of professional experience in humanitarian action, refugee protection, and human rights advocacy, and a former senior officer at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, shared his insights with the audience on the importance of hosting international conferences like this one.

Peschoux said that human rights concern everyone and have become a central topic of focus in every society and on the international stage. However, powerful states like the US and Western European nations have weaponized human rights against others.

The senior expert on human rights also mentioned the urgent need to restore morality in international affairs in the face of the moral bankruptcy displayed by the "Global West" in places like Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere. There is an urgent need for some countries to take over the flames of civilized behavior and once again light the path toward a less violent, more just, more peaceful, and more humane world, said the expert.

The Wednesday conference is also important to China. Peschoux told the Global Times that "if you want to give life to the concept of human rights, you have to dig into your own history to understand its roots... it's very important for China to look at the history of its own political culture in order to rediscover the roots of international human rights and to see its own road."