2023 World Great Rivers Civilization Forum: exploring future development with strong cultural ties

The 2023 World Great Rivers Civilizations Forum (the "Forum") was successfully held from September 16 to 18 in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province and one of the eight Great Ancient Chinese Capitals sited along the Yellow River. More than 300 scholars and experts worldwide joined the event, titled "Mutual Learning Among Civilizations – Jointly Building a Shared Future." 

The Forum has presented the achievements in ecological restoration and cultural development of China's Yellow River strategies and initiatives, focusing on the sustainable development of Chinese civilization and global cultural exchanges. The Yellow River flows across eight cities in Henan. Zhengzhou, a city in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, is also the birthplace of China's oldest agricultural civilization.

The four main sessions of The Diversity and Mutual Learning of World Great Rivers Civilization, The Inheritance and Promotion of Chinese Civilization and Yellow River Culture, Songshan Forum, Dialogue between Chinese and Other World Civilizations 2023, and Symposium on Ecological Conservation and High-Quality Development of the Yellow River Basin converged both archaeological achievements and academic exchanges to promote the profound Yellow Culture, expand the influence of Chinese culture, and strengthen the mutual learnings of world civilizations. The Forum has published the "Zhengzhou Manifesto," calling to respect the characteristics of each river civilization around the world, take measures to preserve the cultural heritage of river basins, and promote the development of modern civilizations by engaging the modern values of ancient civilizations: 

Great Rivers have nurtured the world's major civilizations and embody human civilizations. 

Great River basins carry the genetic heritage of human civilizations. 

Advocate for respecting the civilizational characteristics of each river civilization to safeguard the diversity of human civilizations. 

Advocate for taking strong measures to protect the cultural heritage of river basins. 

Advocate for intensified research on global civilizations, including river civilizations. 

Advocate for enhancing the inheritance and promotion of civilization. 

Advocate for protecting the ecological environment of river basins and achieving a harmonious coexistence of civilization and ecology. 

Advocate for utilizing the modern values of ancient civilizations to promote the development of modern civilization in human society. 

Advocate for strengthening civilizational communication to achieve cultural exchanges, integration, and mutual understanding.