The Belt and Road Languages and Cultures Network is an international mechanism for collaboration on language and culture and is open to all parties, with the aim of promoting language education and cultural exchanges within the BRI framework as a non-governmental international organization.
The network’s headquarters are in Beijing. It is committed to working with its member organizations and other partners to strengthen the alignment of language education policies, enhance the quality of language education, facilitate language connectivity, strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and other BRI countries, enhance the influence of the BRI, and help implement the BRI.
The inaugural council of the network is composed of nearly 60 language education and cultural organizations in more than 50 countries. China Daily serves as the chair of the council, responsible for convening council meetings and coordinating major network activities. The network's secretariat is located within 21st Century English Education, part of China Daily, and is responsible for day-to-day operations of the network and executing council decisions.
The network's main responsibilities include:
1. Establishing a cross-cultural language service platform.
Launching an official website for the network to facilitate policy alignment among member countries, share industry information and jointly conduct international language teacher training.
2. Carrying out research on language and culture.
Encouraging collaborative research, establishing translation collaboration mechanisms, founding international academic journals, disseminating research findings, promoting academic exchange and sharing knowledge.
3. Organizing academic forums in the field of language education and culture.
Drawing on the expertise of high-level experts to host important international conferences in the fields of education and culture, enhancing the influence of the BRI, and fostering language and cultural exchange.
4. Promoting cultural integration and humanistic exchanges.
Focusing on education and youth sectors, organizing high-level and in-depth humanistic exchange activities to facilitate mutual understanding among the people of countries involved in the BRI. Preparing for the establishment of the Belt and Road Language and Culture Hundred Flowers Garden Award to advance world civilizations through mutual exchange and learning.
The network adheres to the principles of equality, voluntariness, openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, and collaboration that benefits all in carrying out exchanges and collaboration, and welcomes more language education and cultural organizations to join.
