近日，國家主席習近平復信雅典大學維爾維達基斯教授等希臘學者，祝賀中希文明互鑒中心成立。

習近平指出，中華文明源遠流長，古希臘文明影響深遠。2000多年前，中希兩大文明在亞歐大陸兩端交相輝映，為人類文明演進作出了奠基性的重大貢獻。現在，兩國建立中希文明互鑒中心，致力于推動中希文明交流互鑒、促進各國文明發展，具有十分重要的歷史和時代意義。

習近平強調，在人類歷史的漫長進程中，各民族創造了具有自身特點和標識的文明，共同構成人類文明絢麗多彩的百花園。各種文明是各民族歷史探索和開拓的豐厚積累，也是今天各民族生存和發展的深層指引。我們要促進人類社會發展、共同構建人類命運共同體，就必須深入了解和把握各種文明的悠久起源和豐富內容，讓一切文明的精華造福當今、造福人類。相信中希文明互鑒中心一定能在這方面大有作為。

習近平指出，知古鑒今，繼往開來。歷史充分證明，只要堅持兼容并蓄、開放包容，人類文明就能不斷發展繁榮。當今世界正面臨百年未有之大變局，化解人類面臨的突出矛盾和問題，需要依靠物質的手段攻堅克難，也需要依靠精神的力量誠意正心。中希文明蘊含的價值觀、世界觀、宇宙觀、人生觀、科學觀、文化觀等博大精深、歷久彌新，一定能夠為人類破解時代難題、推動構建人類命運共同體提供重要的精神指引。

2019年習近平主席對希臘國事訪問期間，同希臘領導人共同倡導文明交流互鑒。訪后，雙方積極落實領導人共識，籌建中希文明互鑒中心。日前，雅典大學維爾維達基斯教授等5位希臘學者聯名致信習近平主席，暢談對習近平主席倡導的文明理念的高度認同，介紹中心籌備情況和發展規劃。2月20日，中希文明互鑒中心成立儀式在雅典大學舉行。

Xi extends congratulations over founding of institute dedicated to mutual learning between Chinese, Greek civilizations

Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied to a letter from Professor Stelios Virvidakis of the University of Athens and four other Greek scholars recently, extending congratulations over the founding of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations.

Hailing the long history of the Chinese civilization and profound influence of the ancient Greek civilization, Xi said in the letter that more than 2,000 years ago, the two civilizations shone brightly on the two ends of the Eurasian continent, jointly making a fundamental contribution to the evolution of human civilization.

Now, it is of great historical and contemporary significance for the two countries to establish the center, which is committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations and promoting the development of civilizations of various countries, said Xi.

Xi stressed that in the long course of human history, various nations have created civilizations with their own characteristics and symbols, which jointly form a colorful garden of human civilization.

Civilizations are the rich accumulation of the historical exploration and also an underlying guide to the survival and development of the nations, he said.

In order to promote the development of human society and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, we must deeply understand and grasp the age-old origins and rich contents of different civilizations and let the essence of all civilizations benefit the present generation and all mankind, he said.

Xi said he believes that the center will certainly make a great contribution in this regard.

Xi pointed out that people can know the present by making references to the past and they often carry forward the undertakings of the predecessors to open up a new path for the future.

History has amply proved that human civilization can continue to thrive and prosper by sticking to inclusiveness and openness, the Chinese president said.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, Xi said, adding that to solve outstanding contradictions and problems facing the mankind, it is necessary to rely on material means to overcome difficulties and rely on the strength of the spirit to rectify mind through thinking with sincerity.

The values, as well as views of the world, universe, life, science, and culture contained in Chinese and Greek civilizations are profound and timeless, and are sure to provide important spiritual guidance for mankind to solve the problems of the times and promote the building of a community with a shared future.

During his state visit to Greece in 2019, Xi and the Greek leaders jointly advocated exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. After the visit, the two sides actively implemented the consensus of the leaders and made preparations for the establishment of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations.

A few days ago, five Greek scholars, including Professor Virvidakis, wrote a joint letter to Xi, in which they expressed in great length their high recognition of the concept of civilization advocated by Xi and introduced preparations and development plans of the center.

The center was launched on Monday at the University of Athens.