Mr. Chairman, dear colleagues,
The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP) is being awarded the Global Dialogue Prize. Please allow me here to say “congratulations” on behalf of the Institute of philosophy of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences!
Under the leadership of Professor George Mclean, the Council has made great and valuable efforts to improve international exchanges of philosophy and cultures, to encourage mutual learning and interaction between the scholars, and to promote harmonious world progress. For their outstanding contributions, the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy truly deserves this honor.
During the Christmas season of 1988, Professor Mclean visited our Institute. Over three days, he held 6 conversations and made extensive exchanges with the more than 40 scholars. Finally the RVP and the Institute of Philosophy arrived at an agreement for further cooperation and from then on we began more than 25 years academic exchanges.
Bilateral exchange in form of academic dialogue is an important cooperative project. Since 1988, RVP and the Institute of Philosophy jointly held a philosophy symposium each year. In Shanghai, or in countries near China, the Institute of Philosophy organized domestic scholars, and the RVP brought together 5 or 6 foreign scholars and scholars from the countries as well as the host. For many years, topics that have been discussed are: traditional culture and modernization, humanization of technology, philosophy and economic development, comparative study of Eastern and Western philosophy, civil society and the construction of spiritual civilization, beyond the modernization, modernization and Sinicization, tracing Buddhist roots, comparison of the Chinese and Asian culture, and so on. The themes centered around globalization by facing and reflecting upon the development and problems of China's opening. With the editorial work of Prof. McLean the conference papers have been published in series of more than 25 books based on the bilateral discussions in East area. At the same time, the researchers of our institute were encouraged to participate in the RVP annual seminars.
In almost two decades, over 100 person-time from our institute participated in bilateral meetings and the RVP seminars. This enabled them to broaden their academic perspectives, renew knowledge about world philosophy, be up to date on the urgent issues of contemporary philosophy, and enjoy good conditions for further researches. For example, there are two special research groups in our institute, one is for business ethics research and the other is for comparative study of Chinese and Western philosophy. They are both inspired by the seminars, and these two disciplines have become distinctive in our Academy. Through dialogue, participants were also trained in English and perfected their writing skills. This also created opportunities for them to present their ideas to international academia so that some younger scholars have risen onto leading research professors in our institute.
Through dialogue, we met scholars from the United States, Austria, Belgium, Philippines, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Canada, Thailand, India, as well as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and scholars from other countries and regions. Many of them have established long-term cooperation relationship with us. For through such dialogue, Chinese scholars carry on their study and reflections on the reform and opening to the worldwide academic communities. This brings the viewpoints of Chinese scholars into the global cultural exchange and provides a window for the world to understand China.
Throughout the long-term cooperation with the RVP, we have been deeply touched by the enthusiasm and personal charm of Prof. McLean. He devotes his heart and mind to academic effects, caring for scholars in developing countries and providing them with opportunities to participate in academic cultural exchanges. Respecting different cultural beliefs, he encourages and supports young scholars. Therefore, we like to call him in Chinese “sheng ren” (saint), which means someone possessed of good manners and highly moral character without private interests, and always keeping world peace in mind.
25 years ago, when I met Professor Mclean, I was a young research assistant, just entered into the field of academic studies. Now I’m also close to the retirement age. However, I believe that the cooperation between the RVP and the Institute of Philosophy will continue for the global dialogue never ends.
May the RVP prosper and Professor Mclean be in good health!
Thank you all.
