XI'AN, Sept. 23 - Representatives from around the world convened for a two-day forum in Xi'an, capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to mark the International Day of Peace on Tuesday.

The forum saw officials and experts from Russia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cyprus, India, and other countries pool their collective wisdom and experience on building a safer Asia.

"At present, Asia is still faced with various traditional and non-traditional security threats," said Han Qide, president of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD), China's largest non-governmental peace association, at the opening ceremony.

"Flames and threats of war are still with us, and many of our people are living in the terror of conflict and chaos," he said.

Japan, which perpetrated WWII but was defeated in the end, is now governed by leaders who are still attempting to justify its history of aggression and challenge the hard-earned victory of WWII and the post-war international order, he said.

Han called on people to learn lessons from history, jointly address security challenges, and promote prosperity and development in Asia.

He also called on the people of Asia to actively support consensus-building among Asian governments through dialogue and consultation, bridge differences in the spirit of mutual understanding and tolerance, and settle disputes through peaceful negotiation.

The Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a dream of peace, a dream of the pursuit of happiness through peaceful development, and closely associated with the dream of all peoples of Asia, Han said.

In the process of realizing their dream, the Chinese people will also help other peoples of Asia to do the same, he said.

The United Nations designated the theme of this year's International Day of Peace as the "Right of Peoples to Peace." The day, which falls on Sept. 21, was established by the UN General Assembly as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.

The two-day forum was jointly launched by the CPAPD, UN System in China and the Shaanxi provincial government.