Chau Chak Wing, president of the Australia China Friendship and Exchange Association, said: "Since its establishment, the ISIF has been held for 10 years, with participants insisting on mutual respect, deepening understanding, enhancing mutual trust and expanding consensus. This year marks its first time that the forum is held outside China, which is demonstrating that we are making more friends, having deeper friendships and obtaining greater understanding."

"We have come here to deepen friendships, to build confidence and to take joint actions. We hope that everyone will engage in in-depth exchanges, enhance consensus, focus on actions around the theme of this event and contribute wisdom and strength to world peace and development, for a better future for humanity," Chau said during the opening ceremony.

"Meanwhile, the exchanges between China and Spain have a long history, and the peoples' friendship is deeply rooted. We hope that this forum will serve as a new starting point to further elevate the exchanges and cooperation between China and Spain and the European Union," he said.

On the sidelines of the event, Gabriela Ramos, assistant director-general for social and human sciences at UNESCO, announced the launch of a new youth leadership program called the Youth for Peace: UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme; and an inauguration ceremony for the venue was held on the same occasion.

The program will officially start in January and is a partnership between UNESCO and Guangzhou-based Kingold Group.

Ramos said that she hopes the program will bring young leaders from around the world to engage in discussions with experts, enhance people-to-people exchanges and increase mutual learning among civilizations.

"Imperial Springs is a perfect venue to facilitate this program given the pivotal role it has played in advancing international dialogue and peace, with its combination of tradition and modernity as well as its role as a world peace practice base," said Ramos.

Prior to this year's event, eight sessions of the forum had been held in Guangzhou and had welcomed more than 200 international dignitaries and 600 experts, scholars and business leaders in China and those from abroad to discuss global governance issues and to champion multilateralism.

Gabriela Ramos, assistant director-general for social and human sciences at UNESCO (left) and Chau Chak Wing (right) launch the Youth for Peace: UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme at the forum. CHINA DAILY