Experts highlight traditional culture's role for Global South modernization

Guests attend the Global South Modernization Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Xiao Bowen)

BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Experts and scholars attending a high-level forum on Friday stressed the pivotal role of traditional culture in the modernization of Global South countries.

"The modern society that we are living in did not emerge out of nowhere. Instead, it grew from the deep soil of our traditional culture," said Jin Minqing, director of the Institute of Contemporary China Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, at the Global South Modernization Forum in Beijing.

"Traditional culture carries a nation's wisdom, ethics, aesthetics and life philosophy, serving as precious resources for achieving modernization," Jin said while speaking at the forum's parallel session on traditional culture and modern life.

While discussing the potential of traditional culture, Ayman El-Sayed Abdel Wahab from the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies noted that revitalizing historical heritage could enhance tourism and boost the creative economy. He also emphasized that traditional knowledge, such as farming and irrigation, can inspire modern sustainable development.

"Modernization in the Global South is strongest when it grows from cultural roots, rather than replacing them," he said.

"The contemporary world faces multiple challenges in the economy, politics, culture and society," said Pablo Vommaro, executive director of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences, stressing that mutual dialogue and cultural exchanges, especially between China and other Global South countries, are essential for pooling the wisdom of the people and building a shared future for humanity.

Experts however noted that the Global South has yet to fully explore its own cultures. "The culture of the Global South remains less exposed on the global stage," said Wen Jian, research fellow of Xinhua Institute, pointing out that many are still uncritically applying Western culture and values to judge their own development reality and culture.

"Only by grounding development in its own economic realities and independently choosing a path that suits its national conditions can a country achieve the goal of prosperity," said Wen.

The Global South Modernization Forum brought together around 160 experts and scholars from social science institutes, major think tanks, and universities in China and other countries to discuss topics such as the role of traditional culture in the Global South modernization and the preservation of cultural heritage amid modernization. ■