Belt and Road Special Forum at ICFS 2025

Professor John Lau from University of the Arts London gives a speech at the "Belt and Road" Special Forum. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Belt and Road Special Forum, a focal point of the third International Conference on Fashion and Sustainability (ICFS 2025), is scheduled for Oct 28 at Wuhan Textile University (WTU).

This forum will focus on the integration of education and industry, exploring how academic research, professional training, and industry practices can be merged to cultivate globally-minded, environmentally conscious talent and enhance the synergy between technology and culture.

A significant highlight will be the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding. WTU will formalize partnerships with four prestigious fashion institutions: Chattogram BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (CBUFT) and BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT) from Bangladesh, along with the National Textile University (NTU) and the University of Management and Technology (UMT) from Pakistan.

The forum will also convene experts and industry leaders from various countries to share groundbreaking insights on academic collaboration, industry transformation, cross-cultural communication, and material innovation. Key presentations include:

Professor Md. Obaidul Karim, vice-chancellor of CBUFT, will discuss "Utilizing Academic Collaboration to Support the Belt and Road Initiative".

Li Lijun from Ningbo Cixing Co will present on "How Digital Intelligent Production is Reshaping the Global Knitting Industry".

Rao Xian and David Evans from Manchester Metropolitan University will analyze "Differences in Sustainable Fashion Communication Paths from a Multicultural Perspective".

Scholars from Australia, Sudan, Pakistan, and elsewhere will also present on cutting-edge technologies such as sustainable packaging materials and biosensors, offering a rich exchange of ideas at the intersection of technology and culture.