International Conference on Cultural Diplomacy and the Cultivation of Cross-Cultural Multidisciplinary Foreign Language Talents Convened at Renmin University of China
DATE： 2023-11-18
On November 18th and 19th, 2023, the International Conference on Cultural Diplomacy and Cultivation of Cross-Cultural Multidisciplinary Foreign Language Talents was held by the School of Foreign Languages of Renmin University of China. The conference invited nearly a hundred experts from China, Germany, Australia, the United States, Spain, and other countries to gather at Renmin University to participate in extensive and in-depth discussions on how to use a cross-cultural perspective to understand and interpret the cultural characteristics of the target language countries and their regions, and how to leverage the languages of the target countries to 'tell China's story well' and to promote cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning of civilizations.
At the opening ceremony of the conference, Professor Lin Shangli, President of Renmin University of China, pointed out in his speech that the theme of this conference, cultural diplomacy and cultivation of cross-cultural multidisciplinary foreign language talents served as an academic response to the 10th anniversary of the initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. It also embodied the educational exploration in implementing President Xi Jinping's 'Three Major Global Initiatives.' He emphasized that foreign language disciplines should strive to nurture cross-cultural multidisciplinary foreign language talents to develop their international perspectives, to enhance their patriotic sentiments, and to help them to consolidate cultural foundations and to obtain scholarly achievements.
Shi Mingde, President of China-Germany Friendship Association and former Chinese Ambassador to Germany, pointed out that Renmin University of China has unique advantages in cultivating high-quality regional and country-specific talents, thus has a promising future. Professor Chen Fang, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, stated that under the context of the expanding connotation and extension of the discipline system, academic system, and discourse system of area and country studies, foreign languages disciplines should play their unique roles. Cultural diplomacy could be an answer. Debora Tydecks-Zhou, Chief Representative of Beijing Office of Hanns-Seidel Stiftung(Germany), shared her views and earnest hopes on promoting cultural understanding through international exchanges, eliminating misunderstandings between countries, advancing the development of cultural diversity, and building a harmonious and friendly international environment based on the mission and vision of the Hanns-Seidel Foundation. The opening ceremony was hosted by Li Zhenyun, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Foreign Languages.
This conference featured four keynote sessions and one panel discussion. The themes of the keynote sessions included Research on Country and Area Studies Talents in Foreign Language Institutes in Higher Education, Exploring Training Model for Multidisciplinary Foreign Language Talents in Higher Education, Cultural Diplomacy in the New Era, Cultural Diplomacy and Foreign Language Talents Cultivation. The keynotes sessions were respectively hosted by Dean Chen Fang, Vice Dean Tian Lili, Vice Dean Zhou Ming, Professor Meng Hong, and Professor Zhang Yi.
More than twenty prominent experts delivered speeches in the keynote sessions and participated in the panel discussion. In five parallel sessions, about forty scholars from well-known universities both in China and abroad engaged in lively and in-depth discussions on themes such as cultural diplomacy, the cultivation of multidisciplinary foreign language talents, places of memory and historical education in foreign language courses, area and country studies, and media diplomacy and cross-cultural translation.
The International Conference on Cultural Diplomacy and Cultivation of Cross-Cultural Multidisciplinary Foreign Language Talents was jointly organized by the School of Foreign Languages of RUC and its 'Cultural Diplomacy and Cultivation of Multidisciplinary Foreign Language Talents in Area and Country Studies' research team in collaboration with the Institute of Area and Country Studies of RUC, the China-Europe Education Alliance for Humanities and Arts, the China-Germany Friendship Association, and the Beijing Office of Hans-Seidel Stiftung (Germany). The aim of the conference was to bring together perspectives from scholars throughout the globe, to contribute to the development and talent cultivation of foreign language disciplines, and to enhance cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and other countries.
