BUILDING A BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP
Speech on the 8th World Friends Day Celebration Conference
Zhang Jingtao
Respected Governor Menkong, Respected Chief Marshall Foster, Respected Guests and Friends, Good afternoon!
Confucius in China once said, 'What a pleasure to have friends coming from afar!' Today, I want to say, 'What a pleasure to find friends from afar!'
Coming to Laos and Oudomxay, a feeling alike of visiting relatives and friends. The sincere enthusiasm of Laotian friends, social stability, peace and order, and pleasant scenery make people feel even more friendly!
We are gathered in such a beautiful place to hold the 8th World Friends Day, which can be said to be a dream fulfilled by heaven and earth, and our love has come to us.
On behalf of the organizing committee of the World Friends Day, I would like to extend a warm welcome and heartfelt gratitude to guests and friends from all over the world!
Sincere thanks to all guests and friends, coming for friendly affection!
Looking back on the journey of World Friends Day, the first World Friends Day was held in Fiji on September 9, 2016, the second in Zimbabwe in 2017, the third in Malaysia in 2018, the fourth in Australia in 2019, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh sessions from 2020 to 2022，due to the three-year epidemic，in Qufu, China, and Fushun, Liaoning for three consecutive sessions, in a combination of offline and online activities. World Friends Day is like a passionate lover walking step by step towards the world, entering people's horizons, and entering people's lives.
After continuous development, the World Friends Day has formed a basic form of content, which is "two forums, one tour, and one conference", namely, the Economic and Trade Exchange Forum and the Cultural and Arts Exchange Forum, one deep tourism in the host area, and one celebration conference.
This year's World Friends Day is different from previous ones, with two prominent features and highlights:
Firstly, it has a long duration and rich content. This year, World Friends Day was officially launched on September 9th at the Friends Tribe in Fushun, Liaoning, in the form of the "World Friends Day Poetry and Arts Conference". During this period, a series of activities including the "Fourth Golden Ivy League International Poetry Award Selection, the First Golden Ivy League International Short Poem Competition," and the "Confucius Friends Award Selection" were successively launched. Today, guests and friends from all around the world gathered at the Oudomxay the main venue to hold the "International Economic and Trade & Cultural and Arts Exchange Forum", the launching ceremony of SuperAntigen International Immune Health Festival, and this celebration conference, which can be described as rich and exciting.
Second, the launching ceremony of World Indigenous Cultural Development Union and release the Mengsai Declaration of World Indigenous Cultural Development Union. This is a major highlight of this event. The official launch of World Indigenous Cultural Development Union and the release of the "Mengsai Declaration" mark a new stage in the development of indigenous cultures worldwide. With the continuous advancement of this cause, we will bring new vitality to the protection, excavation, organization and display of indigenous cultures globally, as well as overall development.
Dear guests and friends!
Among the three major emotions of human beings, love and family affection are mainly reflected at the family and family levels. Love comforts couples, while family affection comforts loved ones. Friendship is different, mainly reflected in the social level. Friendship allows a person to feel the power of support and winter like warmth in the struggle of their career and the hardships of life! It can be said that friendship is the emotional cornerstone of harmonious coexistence between people, and friendly affection is to treat everyone and all life with the same kind of friendship as friends! This is the core significance of the theme of "Building a Bridge of Friendship" in today's conference!
I understand that in order for friends to get along well, we need to establish two common thoughts. One is the "empathy thinking". Only through empathy can we understand each other; The second is "living out one's own thinking". It should be understood that one must live out oneself, and others must also live out oneself. This thinking will make us mutually inclusive. Only with understanding and tolerance can we have friends!
May we all have friendship, and may we all elevate friendship to friendly affection! Everyone is friend and all things together, and our world will move towards peace and our lives will be even better!
Last, I would like to use my personal feelings to say a word for the beautiful Oudomxay:
Oudomxay, a place where the soul can rest!
Thank you once again to all the guests and friends!
Thank you!
