Yangtze Forum Connects Global River Civilizations in Chongqing

Co-hosted by the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the event centers on the theme of mutual learning across river-based societies. CASS President Gao Xiang framed the discussions as a practical application of the Global Civilization Initiative, emphasizing that the Yangtze serves as an enduring vessel for international exchange. British scholar Martin Jacques echoed this sentiment, describing rivers as the arteries of humanity that foster cosmopolitanism and prevent the isolation of cultures.

Concrete cooperation emerged as a central pillar of the forum, moving beyond academic theory. Following the previous collaboration between the Yangtze and the Nile, organizers are now pursuing a joint World Heritage bid for Chongqing’s Baiheliang hydrological inscriptions and Egypt’s Nilometer. The scope of these partnerships expanded this year to South America through the "When the Yangtze Meets the Amazon" initiative and the production of a new documentary, Rivers in Harmony. To document these findings, the Chongqing Yangtze River Culture Research Institute released an extensive series of publications, including the five-volume Yangtze Civilization Series. The event concluded with the launch of the "A Bond between Great Rivers" project, an initiative intended to sustain long-term connections between global river cities through youth exchanges and joint media production.