Cross-cultural forum ends with pledge on fostering duty consciousness

Experts and scholars attending an international forum on cross-cultural communication on Friday pledged to foster duty consciousness through dialogue among civilizations. The Third Nishan Forum on World Civilizations held in Jinan City in east China's Shandong Province closed on Friday. The conference, with a theme of "Common Human Ethics Amid Different Beliefs," has attracted some 130 experts and academics on philosophy, theology, religious and cultural studies from different cultural backgrounds. Participants signed a Nishan Agreement at the closing ceremony. They agreed that respect for the diversity of cultures, tolerance, dialogue and cooperation, in a climate of mutual trust and understanding are among the best guarantees of international peace and security. Participants also committed to promote communications among people of different civilizations, based on a common consciousness of responsibilities, duties and morals. The biennial forum is named after Nishan Mountain, where Confucius is believed to have been born. The first and second Nishan forums were held in 2010 and 2012.