Page 7 - ON BUILDING A HUMAN COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE

ON BUILDING A HUMAN COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE

all humanity.
In 1987, in Shaanxi Province, 20 exquisite pieces of colored glaze
were excavated from the underground chamber of Famen Temple. These
were East Roman and Islamic relics that had found their way to China
during the Tang Dynasty. Admiring these foreign objects, a thought kept
running through my mind: in our approach to different civilizations, we
shouldn’t content ourselves with admiring the beauty of the things they
produced. We should try to understand the cultural significance they
contain. We shouldn’t be satisfied with appreciating the way their art
reflects how people lived in the past, but should bring back to life the
spirit within them.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Napoleon once said, “There are only two forces in the world, the
sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered
by the spirit.” We should actively develop education. Through universal
education, we can open minds, impart knowledge, and cultivate character,
enable people to better appreciate through constant knowledge acquisition
the value of different civilizations, and see that education serves their
continuation and creation. We should devote energy to developing
science and technology. Through advances and innovation in science
and technology we can understand ourselves, understand the world, and
change our societies for the better. We can enable people, through the
exploration of Nature’s creations, to master knowledge and skills, and
see science and technology work for the good of humanity. We should
commit to promoting cultural undertakings. Through cultural exchanges
we can truly communicate, broaden our horizons, and build greater
consensus. We can enable people, through constant cultural edification,
to become more cultivated, and see that culture serves to assist human
progress.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
The Chinese people are in the midst of a mission to realize the Chinese
Dream of national rejuvenation. This is a dream of a country that is

88