While Chengdu is famed for its spicy hotpot, adorable giant pandas, and lively teahouse culture, it is also a dynamic hub for global cultural conversation, as showcased by the 2025 Golden Panda International Cultural Forum. 

The forum, which kicked off on Saturday in southwest China's Sichuan Province under the theme "Harmony in Diversity, A Future in Unity," brings together top voices from China and abroad in a cultural exchange of ideas.

Speakers have so far shared insights on mutual learning between civilizations and building a shared future for humanity, forging a consensus on the critical importance of intercultural dialogue in our diverse world.

Taking Sichuan as an example during his speech at the opening ceremony of the forum, Khambay Damlath, vice-president of the National Assembly of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, said that cooperation between China and Laos continues to deepen under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Action Plan on Building a China-Laos Community with a Shared Future.

"The province has established 'bridges of friendship' across Laos, launched several direct flights and trains and built a convenient 'Steel Silk Road.' Cultural exchanges are also growing. Chengdu University's College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts has trained many Laotian students, while China Media Group has set up a radio station in Vientiane and organized events such as open-air cinema screenings, further bringing our cultures closer together," he added.

Addressing the forum, Asif Ali Zardari, president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, said the partnership between China and Pakistan has grown into a model of international collaboration. "As we look forward to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations next year, we are reminded that this relationship is more than a strategic partnership between states; it is a living testimony to the resilience of friendship between peoples."

"We must continue to expand cultural exchanges, strengthen creative industries, and foster dialogue not only between our two nations but also with the world at large," he said.

"If the wisdom of civilizations is to guide us, it must not be drowned out by the noise of conflict, mistrust or narrow self-interest," said George Papandreou, former prime minister of Greece, in his keynote speech on rebuilding global understanding in an era of change.

"This is why in this day and age, the four global initiatives that China has proposed, in particular the Global Civilization Initiative and most recently the Global Governance Initiative, are so vital. They call on us to draw upon the lessons of culture and history to face the urgent challenges of our age – war and peace, climate change, inequality, even the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence," Papandreou added.

Opened on Friday, the second Golden Panda Awards will hand out a total of 27 awards across four categories: film, TV drama, animation and documentary. The event attracted many global film and television organization representatives, directors, actors and cultural experts.