The Belt and Road Initiative launched by China in 2013 is recognised as a massive project that aims to build trade routes, infrastructure projects and economic corridors between regions such as Asia, Europe and Africa. In addition, the Belt and Road Initiative is to promote unity and understanding among civilisations in the geographies it extends to. This initiative strengthens interaction and mutual understanding between people by promoting dialogue between different cultures, languages and traditions.
With the Belt and Road Initiative, China aims not only at economic development but also at promoting tolerance and co-operation between different cultures. The activities within the scope of the project support cultural enrichment, strengthen trade relations and promote peaceful coexistence. With this project, China aims to increase cultural understanding among the participating countries, establish partnerships and mutual development through co-operation, essentially acting with a win-win approach.
Cultural diversity is an important pillar of co-operation and building people-to-people ties, as well as increasing the physical connectivity between the participating countries. The various infrastructure development and cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative have a transformative power, helping to promote cultural cooperation and fostering civilisational exchanges, thus accelerating deep cultural understandings among the participating countries.
The roads, railways and ports built under the initiative facilitate the flow of not only goods and services but also people and ideas. People travelling across borders and exploring new regions inevitably encounter different cultures, traditions and belief systems.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of the best examples of mutual understanding and development. This project, which involved the construction of transport networks, not only brought economic benefits but also created a way for people from both countries to interact with each other. . These interactions have fostered understanding between civilisations through the sharing of cultural practices, art, music and traditions. Thanks to increased physical connectivity, China and Pakistan have witnessed intense cultural exchanges in recent years. The Chinese Cultural Heritage Week celebrated in Pakistan showcased the splendour of Chinese culture.
The most powerful way to promote the exchange of civilisations is to include cultural elements in the Belt and Road Initiative projects. These cultural elements often function as practice centres where people from different civilisations come together. Karakorum Highway, Gvadar Port and CPEC have become more than just infrastructure projects, they have become cultural fusion points where people can meet on a common ground.
Education is emerging as another catalyst for strengthening cultural ties between the participating countries. For example, the Belt and Road Initiative: Summer Camp invited nearly 50,000 young people from more than 100 partner countries to China for academic visits, Chinese universities and colleges opened 313 Confucius Institutes and 315 Confucius Classrooms in 132 partner countries, and supported 100,000 people from 143 partner countries to learn Chinese and experience Chinese culture online.
Cultural exchange and understanding are fundamental principles of the Belt and Road Initiative.These projects facilitate cultural harmony and mutual respect rather than promoting cultural conflicts. China’s openness to embrace the cultures of the participating countries and vice versa leads to a rich exchange of traditions, arts and languages.
As of June 2023, China has signed cultural and tourism cooperation documents with 154 countries that are members of the Belt and Road Initiative. China continues to expand international cultural exchanges within the framework of this project.
. In addition to further enhancing physical connectivity, the initiative has inspired a number of major events such as the Happy Chinese New Year celebrations, Nihao China tourism promotions and the Silk Road.
In conclusion, the Belt and Road Initiative is an initiative that aims to promote cultural cooperation along with economic and infrastructure projects. Cultural co-operation aims to increase mutual understanding between different countries and communities in areas such as language, art, music, history, tourism, education and cultural heritage, to promote cultural exchange and to strengthen relations between people. Ultimately, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to strengthen cultural richness and inter-civilisational unity and cooperation by valuing different cultures.
