The Beijing Forum 2019 kicked off at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guest House on Friday afternoon. More than 500 scholars and leaders from various countries and regions gathered together in Beijing to discuss how to meet new challenges and build a community with a shared future for mankind in a rapidly changing world.

The Beijing Forum 2019 will last until November 3. There are 13 sub-forums which will be held on the campus of Peking University, three special sessions, and one student forum.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sent a video message of congratulations to the forum. Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs, made the special address.

Yang said that the theme of this year's forum, "The Changing World and the Future of Humankind," is highly relevant. It dovetails with current global developments and touches on matters of interest to all.

"The world today is going through changes of a kind unseen in a century. Looking around, we see a faster evolution of the global governance system and international order. With different ideas vis-à-vis each other, there is a heated debate on how to perceive all those changes," Yang added, "To answer these important questions, we must see through the mist of change, and grasp the trend of history. Most importantly, we must understand fully the nature and direction of current global developments."

Hao Ping, president of Peking University, Wang Ning, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Education Committee of P.R. China and Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO (2009-2017) also delivered speeches.

Hao Ping said in his speech that Beijing Forum always adheres to the ideal and belief of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Qiu Shuiping, chairman of Peking University Council. He pointed out that Beijing Forum has maintained a strong momentum of development since its establishment and has entered its 16th year.

He said that this year's forum focuses on the "changing world" and the "future of people." The forum will gather the collected wisdom of scholars from all over the world to find solutions in line with the trend of the times for the development of human society in the uncertainty brought by the rapid change of the world.

Approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and under the auspices of the Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Forum is an international forum co-sponsored by Peking University, Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, and the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies. Under the theme of "Harmony of Civilizations and Prosperity for All," the Beijing Forum 2019 will explore the changing world and the future of humankind through comprehensive, multi-level discussions.