NICOSIA - On the sidelines of the Nicosia Book Fest, the capital of Cyprus hosted the China-Cyprus Civilization Exchange Forum on Friday.

While the book festival honored China, the forum brought together leading personalities from politics, academia and literature under the slogan "Exploring Harmonious Coexistence Between Civilizations and Between Humanity and Nature."

In his keynote address, Zhang Jianchun, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, emphasized the need to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and publishing cooperation between the two sides.

He also highlighted the profound significance of ecological civilization, in which literature is used as a medium to facilitate the sharing of experiences to make the world cleaner and more beautiful.

Irene Piki, deputy minister to the president of Cyprus, underlined the resilience and innovation inherent in both Cyprus and China, and stressed the pivotal role people-to-people exchanges play in strengthening partnerships.

Tasos Christofides, rector of the University of Cyprus, said that initiatives like the forum promote understanding, respect and collaboration across cultural boundaries.

Kostas Gouliamos, deputy president of the Promitheas Research Institute, said that China's "Global Civilization Initiative" underscores the importance of tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among diverse civilizations.

The China-Cyprus Civilization Exchange Forum showcases the deep-rooted historical and cultural bonds between the two nations and also serves as a platform for global cultural dialogue and ecological cooperation.

Also on Friday, the Rejuvenation Book Series, which underscored the trajectory of modern China, was donated to the European University of Cyprus by the Chinese vice minister.