Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have been urged to strengthen exchanges and play a unique role in promoting regional peace and cooperation.

Attendees at the first SCO People's Forum, which opened in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Monday, have stressed the role of people-to-people exchanges in boosting the SCO's development and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The organization has played an important part in maintaining regional peace and stability, promoting the democratization of international relations, and improving global governance, said Ji Bingxuan, vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Building a community with a shared future for humanity, a concept proposed by China, is also a consensus among SCO states, requiring the joint efforts of people of different countries, said Ji at the opening ceremony of the forum.

With the theme of "Promoting regional peace and cooperation, building a community with a shared future for humanity: the mission of NGOs," the two-day event attracted more than 80 former officials and representatives from NGOs, think tanks, and media outlets from 12 countries and regions.

The SCO supports NGOs in strengthening communication, contributing to a permanent peaceful and stable environment, and improving the well-being of people in the region, said Nurlan Akkoshkarov, deputy secretary-general of the SCO.

The SCO has eight full members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and India. China will host the SCO summit in the coastal city of Qingdao in June.