Beijing, March 29, 2025 – The Creativity 2030 - 4th International Forum was successfully held in Beijing, serving as a platform dedicated to protecting cultural diversity and promoting sustainable development.
The forum was hosted by the International Centre for Creativity and Sustainable Development (ICCSD) under the auspices of UNESCO (Category 2), under the supervision of the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, with support from the Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Center.
Up to 150 representatives from 10 countries including Austria, France, and Germany attended the forum, including figures such as Duong Bich Hanh, Programme Specialist for Culture at UNESCO's Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, Carolina Quintana, Director for the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Trade Point Federation, Veronika Liebl, a Managing Director of Ars Electronica Linz in Austria, Luc Archambeaud, Director of International Business Development of Culturespaces in France, and Liu Mengya, Dean of the Digital Media School at the Beijing Film Academy.
Representatives from governments, enterprises, institutions, and academies of 20 cities including Beijing, Macao and Shanghai attended the forum to discuss the promotion of cultural development through digital intelligence and science fiction from various perspectives.
[A group photo of the attendees]
Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO's Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, delivered a video speech. Ge Siying, Deputy Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Dong Qichao, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Administrative Committee of Zhongguancun Science Park, and Wang Qizhi, Executive Deputy District Mayor of Shijingshan District in Beijing, delivered opening speeches. The opening ceremony was moderated by Chu Xiaowei, Director of the Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Promotion Center.
[A photo taken during the forum]
Khan emphasized that this forum fully demonstrated the vital role of creativity and innovation in advancing sustainable development and preserving cultural diversity in the digital age. He stressed the need to foster innovation in the creative industries, particularly in fields like science fiction, by providing essential resources, network support, and policy frameworks to stimulate the flourishing of creativity and the robust growth of the relevant industries.
[Shahbaz Khan delivered a video speech]
Celebrating 20th Anniversary of 2005 Convention
The forum marked the 20th anniversary of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (the 2005 Convention for short), a convention that encourages developing countries to enhance their capacities to protect and promote cultural diversity through dialogues and international cooperation. China ratified the convention in 2006. Recognizing the significant impact of digital technologies on cultural diversity, UNESCO released an open roadmap in 2019 for implementing the 2005 Convention in the digital environment. This forum is China's first project included in UNESCO's global celebration of the convention's 20th anniversary.
Duong Bich Hanh, Programme Specialist for Culture at UNESCO's Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, introduced the related efforts for "Protection of Cultural Diversity in the Digital Environment".
Exploring Cultural and Technological Integration in Digital Science Fiction Industry for Development of New Quality Productive Forces
[The themed speeches and the panel discussion were moderated by Hans d'Orville, Chairman of the Advisory Committee for ICCSD]
In the digital age, the cultural industry is expanding, leading to the emergence and rapid growth of new business forms of cultural and technological integration, including science fiction. Beijing is now home to nearly 800 science fiction companies with a total annual revenue of CNY 48 billion, propelling the city's science fiction industry to new heights.
The forum emphasized the importance of exploring new trends in the cultural and technological integration to empower the development of new quality productive forces, enhancing the understanding of cultural diversity, promoting the use of digital technologies in the emerging cultural industries, and driving sustainable development through cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Carolina Quintana, Director for the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Trade Point Federation, delivered a speech titled "New Routes to Markets - The Digitilization of the Creative Economy". She used the development of the global entertainment and media industries as a starting point to forecast the development of the creative economy. Quintana suggested strengthening the exchanges of information, services, and activities between cities to develop joint projects and facilitate trade and investment.
Liao Zhiyong, Chairman and General Manager of Migu Xinkong Culture Technology Co., Ltd, delivered a speech titled "Safeguarding Traditions, Sparking Diversity - When AI+Metaverse Becomes Cultural Storytellers". He introduced innovative approaches to cultural industry development through AI and metaverse. Liao highlighted efforts to establish international technical standards and build a "cultural expressway" for global dissemination.
Veronika Liebl, a Managing Director of Ars Electronica Linz, Austria, delivered a speech titled "Art, Technology, and Society". She reviewed Linz's transformation from a "city of steel" to a "city of digital art" through the development of the new media art industry. Currently, Linz has achieved an balance in its urban innovation system, integrating traditional manufacturing, emerging digital industries, and the creative economy, with a thriving entrepreneurial culture (1 startup per 17 residents).
Liu Mengya, Dean of the Digital Media School of the Beijing Film Academy (UNESCO Chair on Cinematic Arts and Cultural Diversity), delivered a speech titled "Integration of Science and Film Empowering Cultural Inheritance and Innovation", showcasing the innovative and integrated applications of scienceand film technologies, and interdisciplinary talent development strategies.
Richard Leaver, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the United Kingdom and a Visiting Professor at the Hainan University, delivered a speech titled "Digital Technology Stimulates Creative Vitality in Cultural and Creative Industries". He outlined the evolving applications of digital technologies in creative industry hubs, their cross-sector impact, and their future development trends.
A panel discussion was hosted during the forum, moderated by Hans d'Orville. Among the participants were Luc Archambeaud, Director of International Business Development of Culturespaces in France, Mehri Madarshahi, President of Global Cultural Network LLC, Wang Zhigang, Director of the Information Art and Design Department at Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts and Design, and Deng Xiaohui, a Co-Founder of Black Flame. They shared their insights into the opportunities and challenges that cutting-edge digital technologies bring to the development of new cultural formats, offering profound thoughts and imaginative visions on the future trends of digital space.
[Panel discussion]
Publishing Exemplary Cases of Protecting and Promoting Cultural Diversity in the Digital Environment
In 2024, ICCSD launched a program to collect cases of protecting and promoting cultural diversity in the digital environment. After evaluation by experts, 20 exemplary cases of the kind were selected and publicized during the event. These cases highlighted cutting-edge technological means like artificial intelligence, extended displays, and big data, covering new technologies' applications in the cultural sectors.
Fostering International Cooperation and Exchange
International guests from Ars Electronica Linz, Culturespaces, and other institutions engaged in cooperative discussions with Chinese companies and institutions including the Zhongguancun Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center, the Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University, and 798 Cultural Technology Co., Ltd. They visited Shougang Park and other related companies later to explore possibilities for future cooperation, focusing on creating international cultural and technological projects utilizing industrial heritage and other resources.
