Roundup of previous sessions

2015: The first subforum on Religious Harmony and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations is held at the Boao Forum for Asia. It highlights China's commitment to the acceptance and inclusiveness of different religions from around the world.

Organizers say the subforum is conducive to the sound development and integration of world religions and helps to tell China's religious stories to the world. It promotes traditional Chinese culture and strengthens China's soft power.

2016: The religious subforum invited guest speakers from Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. The religious masters brought a feast of Buddhist teachings to the conference.

The concept of "the South China Sea Buddhism" is elaborated, with the mission of fostering peace and common development in the South China Sea region.

2017: Buddhist masters from six countries in the Lancang-Mekong valley, including China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, participate in the subforum. They jointly call for Buddhist cooperation among countries in the region to maintain social stability and boost common prosperity.

2018: Focusing on "a human community with a shared future", an in-depth dialogue is held among representatives of Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity. They share insights on the key to building harmonious relationships among different religions. They conclude that religions can reduce misunderstandings and reconcile disparities by strengthening communications and mutual learning. It helps to promote global peace and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

2019: The subforum features a dialogue among Buddhist masters from Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Representatives reach a common view that Buddhist communities on both sides of the Straits should learn from each other, expand cooperation with mutual interest, and jointly contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

2021: On the religious subforum, Buddhist, Catholic and Islamic representatives as well as a Nobel Prize winner scientist offer great insights into how religions contribute to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. They believe that the BRI is an important foundation for building new international relations. All speakers call for expanded communication and mutual learning among different civilizations to promote world peace.

2022: The subforum invite representatives of Buddhism and Islam as well as an expert in traditional Chinese culture to discuss how different religions and ideological schools interact and inspire each other throughout history. All civilizations and religions in the world develop by communicating and integrating with various cultures, they say, adding that the harmony between different religions is conducive to global peace and a beautiful shared future for humanity.