The 2025 International Confucius Festival kicked off in Qufu, Jining, East China's Shandong province on Sept 27, aiming to promote global cultural exchange, and emphasizing harmony among nations and peoples.

This year's festival, themed "A Vision of Confucius: A World in Harmonious Coexistence", also hosts the 2025 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy ceremony. [Photo by Yang Guoqing for chinadaily.com.cn]

The event, themed "A Vision of Confucius: A World in Harmonious Coexistence", also hosted the 2025 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy ceremony.

Stefania Glannini, UNESCO assistant director-general for education, said the 2025 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes theme aligns with the Confucius Education Prize. The latter focuses on functional literacy, which holds enduring power for dignity, equality, and change.

Shandong, a major cultural and economic province in China, is the birthplace of Confucianism. The festival highlights the core values of Confucian thought, such as harmony and coexistence, which are deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Its opening ceremony also featured a performance showcasing the profound influence of Confucian culture and its contemporary relevance.

The performance tells Confucius' stories, which brought the past alive. [Photo by Hou Chengze/chinadaily.com.cn]

The festival included the launch of the "Friendly Shandong, Discover Qilu Cultural Tour" initiative, which aims to attract visitors to explore Confucian heritage sites. Additionally, the "Confucius in My Eyes" Global Gen Z Photo, Short-video and Writing Contest results were unveiled, engaging young people worldwide in understanding Confucius and Chinese culture.

This year's festival continues the tradition of holding ceremonies in both Qufu and Quzhou, Zhejiang, highlighting its international nature and commitment to cultural innovation and tourism integration. The event serves as a vital platform for spreading Chinese culture and starting global cultural dialogues.