China-Spain "Communicate" at Renmin University!
DATE： 2025-12-03
From the ancient Silk Road to the sails on oceans
to the galloping "Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe" freight trains,
China and Spain,
two great civilizations have enhanced each others’ beauty in the river of history,
cherishing their own beauties and respecting the beauty of others,
constantly opening new chapters of cooperation.
On November 4th,
the First China-Spain Civilization Forum
was held at Renmin University of China (RUC),
building a future-oriented
knowledge-sharing system and action framework,
and contributing solid academic strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
This forum was co-hosted by Renmin University of China and Complutense University of Madrid, undertaken by the China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations, International Cooperation and Exchange Department, School of Arts, and School of Foreign Languages of Renmin University of China. Centered on the theme of "Exchange and Mutual Learning between Chinese and Spanish Civilizations", the forum conducted dialogues and exchanges to promote understanding, mutual trust, communication and mutual learning between the two civilizations.
At the opening ceremony, Zhang Donggang, Secretary of the Party Committee of RUC, Joaquín Gayoso Goni, Derector of Complutense University of Madrid, Li Hai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office) of the Ministry of Education, Fan Di'an, Chairman of the China Artists Association, and Yu Changxue, Director of the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange under the Ministry of Education, attended the event and delivered speeches. Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Spain, addressed the ceremony via video. Zheng Shuiquan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of RUC, presiaded over the ceremony.
Zhang Donggang noted that this year marks both the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. The two countries’ heads of state have reached a series of important consensuses, injecting new impetus into China-Spain cooperation and opening up new space for civilizational dialogue between the two sides. He highlighted that Renmin University of China and the Complutense University of Madrid, as leading universities in their respective countries, share the noble mission of advancing people-to-people exchange through education and guiding future development through intellectual inquiry. Since the establishment of the "China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations", the two universities have jointly promoted the mutual translation of classics, strengthened youth exchanges, and deepened academic visits, yielding substantial results.. The holding of “the First China-Spain Civilization Forum” is a pragmatic action to implement the action plan for strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and a new starting point for deepening cooperation between the two universities and promoting the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations between the two countries. Renmin University of China stands ready to work with all parties to build consensus through exchange and mutual learning, inspire the future with historical wisdom, guide technological development with the beauty of art, and address global challenges with governance reforms. Together, we will be fellow travelers in understanding civilizations, pioneers in cultural innovation, guardians of humanistic spirit, and builders of a harmonious world, promoting the academic interpretation and practical implementation of the "Four Global Initiatives", and contributing vigorous strength to advancing the relations between the two countries, enhancing the common well-being of the two peoples, and promoting the progress and prosperity of human civilization.
Joaquín Gayoso Goni remarked that this forum is not only an academic gathering but also an in-depth dialogue between civilizations. In the context of global revolution and development, it is necessary to enhance understanding and build consensus through education, thinking and cooperation. Universities undertake the important mission of disseminating knowledge and nurturing values, and are supposed to encourage the younger generation to understand and respect the diversity of civilizations, also to do contributions to build a more just and sustainable world. Currently, the "China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations" co-founded by Complutense University of Madrid and Renmin University of China has become an important bridge for scientific research, teaching and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The convening of this forum is an important milestone in the development of the center, which will stimulate new ideas and open up new paths for dialogue. It is hoped that both sides will continue to take respect, creativity and friendship as the link, work together, deepen cooperation, and make their cooperation an inexhaustible source of knowledge and inspiration.
Yao Jing noted that as China and Spain celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of their comprehensive strategic partnership, the bilateral relations stand at an important period of inheriting the past and opening up the future. Cooperation in various fields has been continuously expanded, the dialogue mechanism in the field of education has been continuously upgraded, and teaching and scientific research cooperation in higher education between the two countries has been carried out. The joint establishment of the "China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations" by Renmin University of China and Complutense University of Madrid has built a new platform for educational cooperation and civilizational exchange and mutual learning between the two countries. Faculty and students of Renmin University of China have enhanced mutual understanding and promoted exchange and progress with their counterparts from Complutense University of Madrid through field trips, academic exchanges and other forms. It is expected that taking this forum as a starting point, China and Spain will further deepen pragmatic cooperation in teaching and scientific research, enrich the contemporary connotation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, adhere to the equal exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and Spanish civilizations, promote international cultural exchanges and cooperation, and provide new opportunities for China-Spain cooperation.
Li Hai stated that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain. In recent years, the two countries have adhered to the tradition of mutual understanding and friendship, continuously strengthened educational cooperation and exchanges, jointly promoted the upgrading of high-level educational dialogue mechanisms, deepened pragmatic cooperation between universities, enhanced the role of universities in empowering technological transformation, heated up two-way study abroad, and expanded the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. Positive progress has been made in educational cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. Looking forward to the future, it is necessary to give full play to the platform, demonstrating the leading role of the "China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations", also to enhance the platform aggregation effect of the center. Through uniting more partners to jointly discuss and build to promote the innovation of educational cooperation, and drive the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign civilizations to develop in depth, it is expected that taking this forum as an opportunity, the two universities will work together to further contribute wisdom to promoting the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign civilizations and the prosperity and development of world civilizations.
Fan Di'an pointed out that Chinese civilization has a long history, and Chinese art has formed a unique system in its uninterrupted development. As an important representative of Western civilization, Spain has contributed many famous artists to the world. The exchange and mutual learning of civilizations and artistic innovation are common themes of China and Spain. Various forms of artistic exchanges and creative practices between the two countries have shown that the dialogue and exchange of art between the two countries is a "visible" picture. The Chinese-Spanish arts exhibition opened during the forum further demonstrated the broad prospects for dialogue and exchange between artists from China and Spain, especially the younger generation. Standing at a new starting point for the development of human civilization and art today, we should learn from and draw on each other's artistic essence with an open and inclusive mind, study the cultural spirit upheld by art masters in their creation, further deepen exchanges and cooperation, and join hands to inject new vitality into the artistic development of the two countries and the prosperity of human art.
Yu Changxue remarked that against the backdrop of the accelerating evolution of the once-in-a-century changes in the world, the role of people-to-people and cultural exchanges as "soft connectivity" has become increasingly prominent. The joint organization of this forum by Renmin University of China and Complutense University of Madrid is not only a specific action of the higher education circles of the two countries to implement the consensus of the senior leaders of both sides but also it reflects the responsibility of both sides to work together to address global challenges and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In the future, we should continue to carry out more in-depth interdisciplinary and cross-field joint research, consolidate the intellectual foundation for political mutual trust, economic and trade exchanges, and people-to-people communication between the two countries; Through deepening educational cooperation between the two sides, we could cultivate more friendly envoys who inherit the friendship between the two countries and promote cooperation in various fields; At the same time, we are supposed to continuously carry out thematic and vivid youth exchange activities in various fields to deepen the people-to-people bonds between the two countries. It is expected that the "China-Spain Civilization Forum" will be built into an academic brand with global influence, contributing to further strengthening educational cooperation and promoting the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations between the two countries.
▲ Zheng Shuiquan presided over the ceremony
In the keynote speech session, Yang Huilin, former Vice President of Renmin University of China and Professor of the School of Liberal Arts, proposed that the current dialogue between civilizations should promote the turn from inter-cultural to intra-cultural, so as to transcend civilizational estrangement, conflict and superiority, and achieve a deeper level of exchange, mutual learning and coexistence of civilizations. Raquel Monje Alfaro, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Complutense University of Madrid, took "love" as the thread, and through the appreciation of works of art and the narration of examples of artist exchanges, demonstrated that the core of civilizational exchange lies in discovery, respect, admiration and common growth; Zhang Chun, Dean of the School of Arts of Renmin University of China focused on "boundless realism", compared the inward-looking view of Chinese "landscape" art with the outward-looking view of Spanish "knight" spirit, explored the enlightenment of realism to the present, and advocated actively embracing technology to create a new reality that conforms to the common well-being of mankind; Zhao Zhenjiang, Professor of the School of Foreign Languages of Peking University, introduced the important classic of China-Spain exchange "Mingxin Baojian" (Precious Mirror of the Clear Mind) and reviewed the history of cultural exchanges between China and Spain and the translation of Chinese and Western classics; Li Jing, Director of the Spanish Department of the School of Foreign Languages of Renmin University of China , shared the experience in talent training of the Spanish Department of the university and looked forward to the future path of deepening cooperation to promote the long-term exchange and sustainable development of civilizations between the two countries. The session was chaired by Wu Qian, Deputy Dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Renmin University of China.
In the roundtable discussion session, Wu Hongliang, Dean of the Beijing Painting Academy, Liu Wei, Professor of the School of Philosophy of Renmin University of China, Li Yang, Dean of the School of Arts of Peking University, Chang Fuliang, Dean of the School of Spanish and Portuguese of Beijing Foreign Studies University and Chairman of the Spanish Teaching Steering Committee, Guo Liqun, General Manager of China Arts and Entertainment Group, and Raúl Ramírez Ruiz, Professor of King Juan Carlos University and Vice President of the Association of Chinese Studies in Spanish-Speaking Countries, engaged in in-depth exchanges. Their discussion examined the expression and practice of Chinese and Spanish civilizations across artistic creation, academic research, cultural communication, and language translation. The session was moderated by Qi Yue, Deputy Dean of the School of Arts at Renmin University of China.
In the achievement report session, Zhu Minyi, a Grade 2021 doctoral student from the School of Economics of RUC, Yu Zitong, a Grade 2024 master's student from the School of Foreign Languages of RUC, and Yue Yuxiao, a Grade 2022 undergraduate student from the School of Arts of RUC, made an achievement report and work display entitled "The Intersection of Tradition and Modernity: Comparison and Mutual Learning of Cultural Inheritance and Innovation between China and Spain - Based on Field Research in Madrid, Spain". This research, relying on RUC's "Boundless 'Ren' - Student Global Competence Enhancement Program", is the first key project after the establishment of the China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations. Focusing on the core issue of "the different governance paradigms presented by China and Spain in cultural inheritance and innovation under the dual background of globalization and modernization", the research conducted field investigations and exchange activities in Madrid and surrounding areas of Spain, it also systematically studied the protection of Spanish cultural heritage, the reuse of urban space and the practice of multicultural coexistence. On this basis, the research put forward experiences that the two countries can learn from each other in cultural inheritance and innovation which could provide practical paths for future civilizational exchange and mutual learning.
▲In the afternoon, three thematic seminars were held simultaneously. Experts and scholars from different fields such as art, literature and linguistics conducted in-depth discussions around themes such as "Man and Nature: Representation of the World in Chinese and Western Art", "World Visions in Spanish Literature: Experience, Narrative, Value" and "Frontier Research in Spanish Linguistics".
▲Prior to the opening ceremony, the Music Department of the School of Arts of Renmin University of China and the Chinese Classical Music Society jointly presented a prelude performance, including "Let's Row Our Oars" and "The Dove”
During the forum, the exhibition："Focus: China-Spain Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning Plastic Arts Exhibition" was held simultaneously, which included representative works by teachers and students from the School of Arts of RUC and the Faculty of Fine Arts of Complutense University of Madrid.
On December 1, 2024, the "China-Spain Cooperation Research Center for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations", co-founded by Renmin University of China and Complutense University of Madrid, was officially inaugurated in Madrid, Spain. Guided by the vision of "promoting the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations and advancing the progress of human civilization", the center takes "upholding the diversity of world civilizations, promoting the common values of all mankind, advancing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation" as its mission, and "innovating the mechanism of higher education cooperation" as its driving force. It is committed to building a new platform, a new space, and a new brand for youth engagement, educational collaboration, cultural exchange, and mutual learning between the civilizations of China and Spain.