Nishan Forum highlights cultural diversity, global dialogue
Nishan in Qufu, East China's Shandong province, the birthplace of Confucianism and hometown of Confucius, has turned into a center of cultural exchanges, as global scholars and experts are gathering to discuss various topics related to world civilizations and human progress.
The 11th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations opened in Qufu on July 9, attracting over 400 experts and scholars from more than 70 countries around the world.
With the tagline "Beauty in Diversity: Nurturing Understanding among Civilizations for Global Modernization", the forum aims to foster global dialogue and deepen mutual understanding among diverse cultures. From the co-development of diverse civilizations to innovation in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), six keynote speeches were delivered during the opening ceremony.
When envisioning the future, one concept stands out: "harmony in diversity". This is the ideal that the great Chinese sage Confucius presented to the world.
"The future is not as a battlefield of civilizations but as a garden of civilizations," said Chhem Kieth Rethy, senior minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia, in his keynote speech. He also emphasized the timeliness of the forum's theme.
According to Rethy, civilization should not be seen as a "soft" topic, "but as a foundation for resilient and peaceful societies".
Steve Fuller from the Department of Sociology at University of Warwick in the United Kingdom discussed how to protect human creativity in a world of globalized AI.
No human being produces something entirely alone, according to Fuller. This might be ignored while doing research, but AI reminds us of this fact, he added.
Jean Louis Robinson Richard, ambassador of Madagascar to China, praised the forum as a valuable platform for deepening intercultural dialogue. "Through events like the Nishan Forum, China has made great contributions to promoting world peace and fostering harmony among diverse cultures and civilizations," he said.
The forum will run through July 10, with participants engaging in dialogues on topics such as the origins and future development of civilizations, the global significance of Confucian culture, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of human civilization.
In addition, seven parallel forums are being held, focusing on a range of topics including overseas Chinese communities, Confucian dialogue, China-Egypt exchanges on ancient civilizations, world cultural heritage, and traditional Chinese medicine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
16 hours ago
- Korea Herald
China urges global consensus on balancing AI development, security
SHANGHAI (AFP) — China's Premier Li Qiang warned Saturday that artificial intelligence development must be weighed against the security risks, saying global consensus was urgently needed even as the tech race between Beijing and Washington shows no sign of abating. His remarks came just days after US President Donald Trump unveiled an aggressive low-regulation strategy aimed at cementing US dominance in the fast-moving field, promising to "remove red tape and onerous regulation" that could hinder private sector AI development. Opening the World AI Conference in Shanghai on Saturday, Li emphasized the need for governance and open-source development, announcing the establishment of a Chinese-led body for international AI cooperation. "The risks and challenges brought by artificial intelligence have drawn widespread attention. ... How to find a balance between development and security urgently requires further consensus from the entire society," the premier said. He gave no further details about the newly announced organization, though state media later reported "the preliminary consideration" was that it would be headquartered in Shanghai. The organization would "promote global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits," state news agency Xinhua reported, without elaborating on its set-up or mechanisms. At a time when AI is being integrated across virtually all industries, its uses have raised major questions, including about the spread of misinformation, its impact on employment and the potential loss of technological control. In a speech at WAIC on Saturday, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Geoffrey Hinton compared the situation to keeping "a very cute tiger cub as a pet." To survive, he said, you need to ensure you can train it not to kill you when it grows up. The enormous strides AI technology has made in recent years have seen it move to the forefront of the US-China rivalry. Premier Li said China would "actively promote" the development of open-source AI, adding Beijing was willing to share advances with other countries, particularly developing ones. "If we engage in technological monopolies, controls and blockage, artificial intelligence will become the preserve of a few countries and a few enterprises," he said. Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu warned against "unilateralism and protectionism" at a later meeting. Washington has expanded its efforts in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they can be used to advance Beijing's military systems and erode US tech dominance. Li, in his speech, highlighted "insufficient supply of computing power and chips" as a bottleneck to AI progress. China has made AI a pillar of its plans for technological self-reliance, with the government pledging a raft of measures to boost the sector. In January, Chinese startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that performed as well as top US systems despite using less powerful chips. In a video message played at the WAIC opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said AI governance would be "a defining test of international cooperation." The ceremony saw the French president's AI envoy, Anne Bouverot, underscore "an urgent need" for global action and for the United Nations to play a "leading role." Bouverot called for a framework "that is open, transparent and effective, giving each and every one an opportunity to have their views taken into account." Li's speech "posed a clear contrast to the Trump administration's 'America First' view on AI" and the US measures announced last week, said WAIC attendee George Chen, a partner at Washington-based policy consultancy The Asia Group. "The world is now clearly divided into at least three camps: the United States and its allies, China (and perhaps many Belt and Road or Global South countries), and the EU -- which prefers regulating AI through legislation, like the EU AI Act," Chen told Agence France-Presse. At an AI summit in Paris in February, 58 countries including China, France and India -- as well as the European Union and African Union Commission -- called for enhanced coordination on AI governance. But the United States warned against "excessive regulation," and alongside the United Kingdom, refused to sign the summit's appeal for an "open," "inclusive" and "ethical" AI.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Seegene unveils the world's first unattended PCR automation, igniting a global diagnostic paradigm shift at ADLM 2025
SEOUL, South Korea, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc., a global leader in molecular diagnostics, announced today that it will unveil its fully automated PCR testing system, CURECA™, and its data analytics platform, STAgora™, at ADLM 2025 (Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine), the world's largest diagnostics conference, taking place in Chicago from July 28 to 31. With the introduction of these new technologies, Seegene declares a transformative shift in the global diagnostics paradigm. Automating every step of PCR Testing for enhanced efficiency and accuracy CURECA™ is the world's first system to fully automate the entire PCR testing process – from specimen storage and pre-treatment to nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and result analysis – without any human intervention. Designed for 24/7 continuous operation, the system minimizes human error and dramatically improves the consistency and reliability of the test results. A key breakthrough lies in its fully automated prep module, which addresses one of the most burdensome and error-prone stages in diagnostic workflows. Pre-treatment has traditionally been a major challenge, particularly when dealing with diverse sample types such as urine, blood, sputum, and stool. Lab technicians often carry out repetitive manual tasks over extended hours, and variations in skill level can result in inconsistent outcomes. Stool samples, especially, have posed serious automation barriers due to their viscosity and particulates, requiring heavy manual handling. The prep module of CURECA™ system is the first to fully automate pre-treatment process across all major specimen types – including stool – overcoming longstanding obstacles in laboratory operations. This innovation reduces labor demands, expands sample throughput, and enhances overall operational and cost efficiency. It also shifts the role of laboratory personnel from manual processing to higher-level responsibilities, such as data analysis and clinical interpretation – helping labs better leverage their workforce in high-volume testing environments. In addition, the prep module is applicable beyond PCR diagnostics. It supports pre-treatment for other disciplines, including clinical chemistry and immunoassays, marking a significant step forward in automation across the broader diagnostics market. Its modular architecture allows for flexible configuration and deployment tailored to the size, layout, and needs of each laboratory. STAogra ™ – Real-Time Global Data Integration Empowering Personalized Care Also unveiled at ADLM 2025, STAgora™ is Seegene's statistical platform that collects and analyzes real-time PCR diagnostic data to support clinical decision-making. By aggregating test data uploaded from hospitals around the world, the platform provides integrated insights into regional infection trends, hospital-level positivity rates, and patterns of co-infection. It also offers more than 40 statistical tools tailored for clinical support. With STAgora™, healthcare providers can compare individual patient test results with local and regional epidemiological data, enabling more precise, data-driven treatment strategies. The platform allows clinicians to evaluate infection trends at both patient and community levels, improving the accuracy and speed of diagnosis and care planning. By delivering rapid, reliable insights through this kind of comprehensive analysis, STAgora™ is expected to become an essential analytical tool for clinical decision-making. Expanding Global Collaboration via Technology Sharing and Strategic Partnerships Building on its presence at ADLM 2025, Seegene aims to broaden access to CURECA™ and STAgora™ by offering early pilot experiences and establishing new global partnerships. Earlier this year, CURECA™ attracted strong interest at ESCMID Global 2025, one of Europe's leading clinical microbiology and infectious disease congresses. To strengthen its R&D and manufacturing capacity in the United States, Seegene has established local subsidiaries, including Seegene Technologies and Seegene CURECA. "CURECA™ and STAgora™ are more than just diagnostics equipment or software—they represent a new global standard that will redefine diagnostics in clinical settings around the world. We will continue to share the many technological assets we've built over the years and based on this foundation, we are committed to driving fundamental innovation across the global diagnostics ecosystem." Said Daniel Shin, Executive Vice President, Chief of Global Sales & Marketing at Seegene. Disclaimer The product is currently in a pre-commercialization phase. The configuration presented at ADLM 2025 is for demonstration purposes only and may differ in functionality, specifications, and components from the final commercial version. This material is intended solely to introduce the technology and does not constitute an advertisement for product sales. About Seegene Seegene has more than 20 years of dedicated experience in R&D, manufacturing, and business related to syndromic real-time PCR technologies. This expertise was particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when Seegene provided over 340 million COVID-19 tests to more than 100 countries worldwide. The core feature of Seegene's syndromic real-time PCR technology is the ability to simultaneously test for 14 pathogens that cause similar signs and symptoms in a single tube with quantitative information.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
The 2025 International Congress of Basic Science Opens in Beijing
BEIJING, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) officially kicked off on July 13 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, gathering the world's brightest scientific minds for a landmark two-week conference. The event brings together four Fields Medalists, three Nobel Laureates, and two Turing Award winners, including Shing-Tung Yau and Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, alongside more than 80 academicians and nearly 1,000 researchers from leading global institutions. President of Tsinghua University Li Luming warmly welcomed scientists from around the world. He emphasized that the ICBS has evolved into a premier platform for global scientists to engage in dialogue and deepen collaboration. Tsinghua University will continue to support Professor Shing-Tung Yau's efforts to advance basic science, and will work together with scientists from all countries to strengthen fundamental research, drive scientific and technological innovation, promote socio-economic development, and jointly create a better future for humanity. Shing-Tung Yau — ICBS President, Fields Medalist, and Chair Professor at Tsinghua University — highlighted recent breakthroughs in mathematics, physics, and information science. He believes a new era driven by theoretical breakthroughs and technological innovations may be dawning. Six trailblazing scientists—Samuel C.C. Ting, Steven Chu, David Gross, Robert Tarjan, Shigefumi Mori, and George Lusztig—were honored with the 2025 Basic Science Lifetime Award, the most prestigious award honoring scientists' contributions to fundamental science. The Congress also awarded 118 Frontiers of Science Awards (FSA) across mathematics, physics, and information science, with winners from over 20 countries. Global AI leaders OpenAI and Meta's FAIR team were also among the recipients. The ICBS was initiated by Shing-Tung Yau in 2023 and is held annually with the theme "Advancing Science for Humanity". Over the next two weeks, nearly 1,000 scholars and students—including over 400 world-leading scientists—will gather at the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Applications. Over 500 sessions will cover mathematics, physics, and information science and engineering, with a focus on cutting-edge AI research, interdisciplinary innovation, and frontier theoretical breakthroughs. Beyond academic exchange, ICBS emphasized youth engagement through a diverse range of activities, including the "Tsinghua Day" special event on July 19th. ICBS 2025 celebrates international collaboration and academic exchange in global scientific advancement. "Science thrives on collaboration," said Yau. "This is where the next era of discovery begins."
