The 2023 Global Forum on Hehe Culture was held in Tiantai county, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. 

Themed with "Hehe Culture and Global Civilization Initiative," the forum aimed to implement the initiative and showcase the Chinese culture of peace and harmony, or "hehe" as pronounced in Chinese, to the international community.

Nearly 500 people attended the forum, including political figures, representatives of international organizations, diplomatic envoys, as well as experts and scholars from think tanks, universities, and research institutions of China, the U.S., Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Bulgaria, and other countries.

Yukio Hatoyama (C), former prime minister of Japan and president of the East Asia Community Institute, and Irina Bokova (L), former director-general of UNESCO, are awarded commemorative cups of the Hehe Culture ambassadors during the 2023 Global Forum on Hehe Culture in Tiantai county, Zhejiang province, on Nov. 7, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn]

Yukio Hatoyama, former prime minister of Japan and president of the East Asia Community Institute, and Irina Bokova, former director-general of UNESCO, were named Hehe Culture ambassadors during the forum in recognition of their efforts in promoting traditional Chinese culture. 

Youth representatives from China, Lebanon, Belarus, Brazil, Japan, and India read the "Hehe Culture and Global Initiative" in their own languages at the Global Forum on Hehe Culture held in Taizhou county, Zhejiang province, on Nov. 7, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn]

The forum also witnessed the launch of the "Hehe Culture and Global Initiative." Youth representatives from China, Lebanon, Belarus, Brazil, Japan, and India read the initiative in multiple languages, voicing the common aspirations of the youth of all countries to promote the spirit of peace and harmony and build a better world.

The Chinese-English book "This is Hehe Culture," published by Blossom Press under China International Communications Group, is launched at the Global Forum on Hehe Culture held in Taizhou county, Zhejiang province, on Nov. 7, 2023. [Photo/China.org.cn]

In addition, a Chinese-English book "This is Hehe Culture," published by Blossom Press under China International Communications Group, were launched during the forum. 

Jointly hosted by the Information Office of Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, China International Communications Group, the Academy of Chinese Culture, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Taizhou Municipal People's Government, the forum aimed to strengthen cultural exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and other civilizations and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.