Ban Ki‑moon and Other International Organization Leaders Send Congratulatory Letters for International Day of the Belt and Road

(Bangkok News) December 16 marks the annual International Day of the Belt and Road. More than 300 Belt‑and‑Road‑related events were held across the globe. These include the Beijing meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation of the Chinese Government, the Understanding China Conference, a major non‑governmental diplomatic event of China; the Global Eminent Monks Prayer Ceremony for International Day of the Belt and Road in Bangkok; the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road International Commerce Month (Southeast Asia); the Belt‑and‑Road cultural series for the 45th anniversary of China‑Spain diplomatic ties hosted by the China Art Festival Foundation in Barcelona, Spain; the World Overseas Students Congress for International Day of the Belt and Road in Moscow; the International Overseas Students Football League for International Day of the Belt and Road in Zhejiang; the China Forest Tourism Festival organized by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China; as well as international marathon races held in Shenzhen, Nong Khai and Okinawa. Over 600,000 participants from political, business and academic circles and volunteer communities worldwide took part in these various activities.

UNESCO Former Director-General Irina Bokova with Chen Entian, Chairman of the World Peace Ribbon Organization
 

Professor Ban Ki‑moon, the 8th Secretary‑General of the United Nations and Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia; Professor Irina Bokova, former Director‑General of UNESCO; Professor Robert Grupp, former President of the Global Public Relations Association, and many other prominent international figures successively sent congratulatory letters to Chen Entian, Chairman of the Global Committee for International Day of the Belt and Road. Notably, in his letter to Mr. Chen Entian, Professor Ban Ki‑moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia and former UN Secretary‑General, personally inscribed the title and signature in Chinese. Chen Entian spoke highly of Professor Ban Ki‑moon, Professor Robert Grupp, Professor Bokova and other international dignitaries, praising them as sincere and friendly global leaders.
 

(Ji Chaozhu, former UN Under-Secretary-General and renowned Chinese diplomat, with Chen Entian, Chairman of the World Peace Silk Ribbon Organization)
 

As widely known, International Day of the Belt and Road (December 16) is an international non‑governmental festival initiated by Chen Entian, former Chairman of 7‑3 International — the world’s largest academic society — together with Ji Chaozhu, former Under‑Secretary‑General of the United Nations, and numerous global civil‑society scholars and international organizations. The initiative was inspired by the Buddhist lecture Seeing the Power of Dreams given by Master Hsing Yun, founding abbot of Fo Guang Shan, in response to the Belt and Road Initiative. It is also the first international non‑governmental festival originating from an Eastern country that embodies Eastern cultural confidence. The Office of International Day of the Belt and Road was the sole early‑registered Belt‑and‑Road‑related institution under UN‑NGO ESANGO. Over the years, “12‑16” has become a widely‑accepted non‑governmental international symbol for the Belt and Road. International Day of the Belt and Road has been recognized as a major cultural undertaking by global civil society in response to the Belt and Road Initiative, and has been listed among the World’s Top‑Ten News for two consecutive years.