UN General Assembly president expects China's continued contribution to promoting harmony

UNITED NATIONS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) General Assembly President Csaba Korosi said Thursday he looks forward to "China's continued contribution of wisdom, resources and solutions to our joint quest -- the quest for harmony between peoples, and between people and planet."

"With thousands of years of accumulated knowledge behind it, China is in a fortunate position to supply the world with the goods that are needed most -- solutions," he said at Chinese Language Day celebrations held at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Korosi said he was particularly struck by the message vividly conveyed in the works of art on display: that of harmony with nature.

The Chinese Language Day celebrations also featured an exhibition of paintings and calligraphic works.

The works of the calligraphers and artists on display are a reminder that language -- in its many forms and reflections -- is a bridge to understanding, said Korosi.

"I learned a long time ago that Chinese characters were derived from pictograms portraying the natural world. Many of them incorporate elements of Chinese philosophy and reflect the deep connection between language, nature and society," he said. "For example, the compound for 'harmony' combines the characters for 'mouth' and 'grain' -- invoking an image of people sharing a meal and highlighting the importance of human interaction. I think it also contains a lesson about abundance and scarcity -- and their effects on our societies across the globe."

"To me, this interpretation is at the heart of why we, as an international community, must adjust the ways we consume and produce -- do more and better with less. In my reading, this character also reminds us that we cannot fall out of harmony with our natural world. If we want to achieve that balance, we will need all the knowledge we can have, all the will we can muster and -- like these artists had -- a dose of creativity to spark transformational change," he said.

With the 77th session of the General Assembly having passed the midway milestone, the assembly is in an important phase of its work, said Korosi. "We have to deal with a wide range of challenges that can only be tackled jointly. To do so, we must 'love the people, and cherish all lives,' as ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius aptly said."