Representatives exchange thoughts in the forum.

The 2024 Imperial Springs International Forum (ISIF), held in Spain this December, continued to spotlight multilateralism as a critical pathway to addressing global challenges. With its theme of "Collective Action for One Future", the forum brought together over 200 leaders from politics, academia and business to discuss pressing issues such as climate change, security and economic inequality.

Multilateralism has consistently been an emphasis of previous ISIF forums. In an era marked by growing geopolitical tensions, climate crises and economic challenges, the call for multilateral action is more urgent than ever and ISIF's advocacy for a robust and inclusive multilateral system is widely said to be increasingly relevant.

Currently, various challenges in terms of promoting multilateralism are facing today's world.

Jenny Shipley, former prime minister of New Zealand, said: "The institutional framework of multilateralism is fragile. While it served the world well, it does need both reform and commitment."

"It will not work unless people do what they say they are going to do and uphold the commitments they make. There will be recommendations from this forum as to what actually needs to happen," she added. 

With regards to measures crucial for upholding genuine multilateralism, Ivo Josipovic, former president of Croatia, said: "Currently, the greatest challenge to multilateralism is the crisis facing the United Nations and certain reforms to the UN should be welcomed. One major challenge for the UN is ensuring that countries comply with its resolutions, which is of utmost importance."

"I believe all nations, especially major powers, must understand that decisions should not be based solely on their own interests. We must share responsibilities and collectively bear the burden of resolutions, particularly when those resolutions guide us toward a better future. To me, adherence to international law by nations is also crucial."

"International law forms the foundation of our cooperation and coexistence and is essential for maintaining the peace process. I believe that multilateralism and international law are the most important foundations for the future of our world."

ISIF 2024, which was held outside China for the first time, continued to highlight China's growing global influence and commitment in shaping a more interconnected and inclusive global landscape.

Yao Yao, professor of the Center for International Communication Studies at the Communication University of China, said: "We have stepped out to organize this forum, engaging in face-to-face exchanges with people from various levels and countries."

"We hold both closed-door and open forums, breaking down and discussing key topics that are often difficult to address in an equal and open manner. This approach plays a significant role in helping the world to better understand China and enabling China to advance global governance in a fair and just direction in collaboration with Europe and other regions."

Ismail Serageldin, former vice president of the World Bank, added: "I believe that countries around the world should focus their attention on China, as it has demonstrated the ability to find innovative ways to collaborate with people from various nations.

 Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, China has shown the world that win-win cooperation is achievable for everyone. In this regard, we hope that China, as one of the world's leading powers, will continue to examine and reshape the international system to ensure that rule-based multilateralism can endure amidst the significant challenges we face today."