Participants of a think tank dialogue of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries underscored the importance of cultural exchanges and mutual understanding, which have become important forces in mitigating the negative impacts of multiple challenges facing humanity today.

Speaking at a forum at the Global Mayors Dialogue?SCO Summit Cities, Akmal Nematov, deputy secretary-general of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, said the uniqueness of the organization lies in its founding by countries from different cultural and civilizational backgrounds.

As a unique example of peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures and civilizations, SCO members have shown the world the benefits that can be obtained through cooperation in areas such as security, the global economy and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

"The organization is not only an organization actively engaged in political and economic cooperation, but also plays an increasingly important role in promoting understanding among the people of member states," he said.

The Tajik expert highlighted the importance of establishing a multilateral cultural cooperation mechanism within the SCO framework to further advance in-depth cooperation in areas such as culture, education and tourism.

Nikita Lomagin, a professor at European University in St. Petersburg, Russia, said that dialogue among SCO members is especially important as "it allows us to familiarize ourselves with partners' best practices, exchange experiences and jointly develop solutions to the most complex problems."

Although the SCO member countries are unique in terms of their cultures, Lomagin said that it is the basic principles agreed upon by all parties that have enabled them to build a common agenda and work together to address common challenges.

Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Delovoy Kazakhstan, said that in an era of emerging challenges and changes, it is particularly important to listen to and understand each other, not only regarding major national affairs, but also in terms of cultural traditions and everyday life.

"Only by respecting cultural diversity can we ensure sustainable development," he said, adding that people-to-people exchanges are of vital importance for younger generations as they will shape the world of tomorrow.

While attending the expanded meeting of the SCO in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan last year, President Xi Jinping announced that China would host 1,000 young people from SCO countries for exchange opportunities over the next five years.

Zhazgul Madinova, a media expert at the Kyrgyz National Kabar News Agency, said that young people in SCO member countries who are learning the languages of other member countries and engage in cultural exchanges will become ambassadors of friendship.

"When we understand each other's cultures, we no longer fear and we begin to trust each other. When trust emerges, cooperation, common development and shared prosperity become possible," she said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn