The international academic conference "Asia-Africa-European Scholarly Dialogue" was convened in Hong Kong, China on April 8 and 9.

More than 30 renowned Chinese and foreign scholars attended the event, including Donald Bruce Dingwell, President of the Academia Europaea; Lee Chun-Sing, Provost and Deputy President of City University of Hong Kong; Björn Wittrock, Founding Director of the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS); Peter Kagwanja, Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute (API) of Kenya; and Fazal-ur-Rehman, Director of the Centre for South Asian Regional Studies of Pakistan.

Participants held in-depth discussions on topics such as the social changes and development of social sciences since the 19^th century, as well as their interactions. They also exchanged views on critical issues including major challenges facing Asia, Africa, Europe and the world at large, and good governance in society. Prof. Huang Ping, President of Chinese Institute of Hong Kong; Prof. Ye Hailin, President of China-Africa Institute (CAI), and Prof. Jin Yeu Tsou at City University of Hong Kong, served as chairpersons of the conference.

Asian, African and European scholars at the conference

Prof. Ye Hailin noted that the international community is concerned about the continuity of civilizations and hopes to address crises through rationality. As a key hub where Eastern and Western civilizations intersect, Hong Kong combines profound Eastern heritage with a global outlook, making it a natural platform for promoting intellectual exchange and dialogue among civilizations.

This conference upholds cross-civilizational communication, cross-regional mutual learning and interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together scholars from various fields across Asia, Africa and Europe to explore shared human values, discuss pathways to global governance and deliberate on the future of civilizations. This is an endeavor of profound significance, Prof. Ye said. The intellectual wisdom of Asia, the concept of community interdependence of Africa, and the tradition of rational thinking of Europe, all form an integral part of treasure house of human spirit. Facing profound global changes unseen in a century and shared global challenges, no single civilization can thrive in isolation, nor can any country tackle crises alone. Dialogue among scholars from different regions is particularly crucial against the backdrop of a challenging global landscape and international relations.

Prof. Huang Ping observed that the world is undergoing profound upheavals, with frequent "shocking news" unfolding daily. Yet amid such turbulence and uncertainty, there is an even greater need for rational thinking and equal and in-depth exchanges. Insights from philosophy and social sciences, in particular, will not only help people understand various breaking events unfolding in real time, but also profoundly shape humanity’s choices at this crossroads, he stated. The conference covers discussions on modern social transformations and the past, present and future of philosophy and social sciences across Asia, Africa and Europe. He expressed the hope that participants would build on this gathering to launch sustained dialogue and academic exchanges while sharing their insights.

Björn Wittrock pointed out that the world is currently confronted with multifaceted challenges. We should review and reflect on years of research in social sciences, as it will help the world avoid chaos and disorientation as we strives toward a better future.

The participating experts agreed that scholars should not only respond to contemporary challenges and offer policy advice, but also examine the deep-seated social roots and long historical contexts behind geopolitical, energy, technological and cultural challenges. They should further provide interdisciplinary, cross-regional perspectives and insights on overcoming such challenges and crises.

Group photo of conference organizers and scholars　　

The "Asia-Africa-Europe Scholars Dialogue" was initiated by Chinese Institute of Hong Kong and China-Africa Institute, and co-hosted by City University of Hong Kong and the Academia Europaea.