The 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival kicked off on Friday in Qufu, Shandong province, the birthplace of Confucius.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, opened the festival.

Guests from home and abroad attending the event said that Confucianism has profoundly influenced China's development and played a positive role in advancing human civilization.

The festival is an effective platform for the implementation of the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative and deepened cultural exchange. It is making increasing contributions to promoting global dialogue on civilization, and to fostering friendship between peoples of various nations, guests said.

This year's festival, themed "conversation with Confucius, mutual learning among civilizations," was launched by the provincial government of Shandong, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO.