2015-04-21

On April 21st, 2015, Mr. ZHANG Yi arrived in Berlin, Germany and went to visit the new headquarters of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy at 4 pm of that day. Mr. ZHANG Yi met with Mr. MarkDonfried, Director General, Ms. Rosie Vilnius, Head of Communications and discussed with them on the issue of carrying out the cooperation concerning the international forum with the topic of building core areas of the Belt and Road and other affairs. 

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. Mark Donfried, Ms. Rosie Vilnius

To Discuss the Issue of Cooperation

Founded in 1999, the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organization. Since the day of its establishment, ICD aims to promote the global peace and strengthen the mutual understanding between people of the world by virtue of the effort of holding international forums, providing the related academic courses and organizing the events in the field of cultural diplomacy. Its dedicated efforts over years have enabled ICD to win the universal recognition from all circles and its power of influence is on the steady rise. Mr. ZHANG Yi’s visiting aimed to explore the best model of bilateral cooperation through the effort of preparing the international forum.

Mr. ZHANG Yi firstly introduced the related preparation since the Commission’s visiting of last year and continued to clarify the background and meaning of holding the international forum with the topic of building core areas of the Belt and Road to Mr. Mark Donfried and Ms. Rosie Vilnius. Mr. Mark Donfried extended his welcome to the Delegation and remarked that in the present moment in which the soft power was more and more important, it would be very meaningful to hold the international forum with a view to enabling the world to have the deep understanding of China’s policy “The Belt and Road”. ICD had the rich experiences in organizing international forums over years and was ready to provide the necessary assistance and to carry out the cooperation as for this forum.

Mr. ZHANG Yi expressed his gratitude to Mr. Mark Donfried’s words and pointed out that the Commission had the intention of becoming the high-level think tank between China and EU; through the effort of gathering the wise people all around the world together, the Commission expected to develop the capability of coping with challenges of all varieties in the hope of promoting the friendship and carrying out the cultural exchange, economic cooperation between Chinese and European people. Now, the initiative of building the Belt and Road had become the national policy of China, it would be of vital necessity to carry out the evaluation on the feasible plan concerning the future development through the effort of holding the international forum. Mr. Mark Donfried seconded Mr. ZHANG Yi’s opinion and said, ICD had found a creative way of integrating the forum and think tank into one entity over 16 years of development and expected both parties to share the related experiences and take the joint efforts with the open-minded vision in order to enable more Chinese friends to know ICD. Ms. Rosie Vilnius indicated that ICD would be willing to have the in-depth discussion concerning the concrete form of cooperation and the related details with the Commission with a view to achieving win-win purpose. Mr. ZHANG Yi recognized her opinion.

The meeting came to the end amid the friendly atmosphere. Afterwards, in the companionship of Mr. Mark Donfried and Ms. Rosie Vilnius, Mr. ZHANG Yi made a tour in the new headquarters of ICD.

The Tour in the Headquarters of ICD