The opening ceremony of the 2025 China International Confucius Cultural Festival lit up Qufu, Shandong Province, on the evening of September 27. The event featured the 20th UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, honoring outstanding global projects in education and learning.

The launch of a Confucius-themed study tour and the unveiling of results from the global Gen Z contest, "Confucius in My Eyes," – with photos, short videos and prose – added youthful energy to the event.

Guests from China and abroad praised the timeless influence of Confucian thought, highlighting the festival's role in fostering cultural exchange, dialogue, and friendship across nations.