The first Taishan International Cultural Forum was held on Oct 23-24 in Tai'an, home of the majestic Mount Tai in East China's Shandong province.

Aimed at spreading Chinese culture and promoting cultural integration, the event was attended by Mo Yan and Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, who took part in a discussion on the future of literature.

Ten foreign specialists and scholars, including John Naisbitt, an American futurologist and renowned scholar and author of Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives, which was on The New York Times Best Seller List for two years, and Doris Naisbitt, an observer of global social, economic and political trends, also attended the event, as did 30 notable Chinese guests.

"Cultural exchange is an important driving force for human civilization and world peace and development," said Zhang Tao in a speech during the opening ceremony.

"The world is currently facing major changes unseen in a century. To meet common challenges and move towards a better future, we need economic, technological, and cultural strength," he said.

Zhang noted that the forum was meant as a platform to showcase Chinese culture, tell Chinese stories, and spread Chinese voices so as to bring all world cultures together and promote mutual learning and common prosperity.

Bu Xianqun, director of the Institute of Ancient History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Mount Tai is a mountain of historical and cultural significance and symbolizes the Chinese national spirit.

Bu added that in-depth discussions on Mount Tai will further explore the mountain's modern significance and its role in building a shared future for mankind. The discussions will also promote exchanges and mutual learning among all world civilizations.

The forum was jointly held by the Chinese National Academy of Arts under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Institute of Ancient History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The first Taishan International Cultural Forum opens on Oct 24 in Tai'an, East China's Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The forum is attended by scholars and experts from China and abroad to promote cultural integration. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]