9th World Peace Forum opens in Beijing

BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The 9th World Peace Forum (WPF) opened at Tsinghua University in Beijing Saturday, with more than 100 scholars from 12 countries, former senior officials from countries and international organizations and diplomats participating online and offline.

With the theme "International Security Cooperation in the Post-pandemic Era: Upholding and Practicing Multilateralism," this year's forum includes topics on the Belt and Road Initiative, global economic recovery, global governance and artificial intelligence.

"I hope the participants can speak freely and contribute their ideas and wisdom to strengthening international security cooperation, upholding multilateralism and safeguarding world peace," Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, said at the opening ceremony.

"I humbly reiterate my call on all nations and stakeholders to redouble their efforts in elevating cooperation and partnership in pursuit of vaccinating the world, achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and taking climate action," said Ban Ki-moon, former United Nations secretary-general via video-link at the forum.

The non-governmental forum was initiated in 2012 by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.