“When we live in a fragile and divided world and we need the dialogue among civilizations, which is put forward by the Global Civilization Initiative. But I think it’s not just an initiative, it is a vision of a world that is peaceful, that collaborates, that is respectful and that respects all the different cultures for the better humanity future,” said Irina Bokova as she received the Lifetime Honorary Award at the second Orchid Awards ceremony, held in Beijing on July 10.  

Now 73, Bokova is a senior advisor to the Board of the Europe-Asia Center and served as Director-General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from 2009 to 2017. Throughout her career, she has made outstanding contributions to several of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to culture and education. Bokova has also played a vital role in strengthening cooperation between UNESCO and China. 

The Orchid Awards, initiated by China International Communications Group (CICG), recognize and honor individuals and institutions worldwide for their contributions to international exchanges involving Chinese culture. The awards are presented in three categories: the Lifetime Honorary Award, the Outstanding Achievement Award and the Friendship Envoy Award. 

This year, 10 foreign nationals were honored with the prestigious awards. Bokova received the Lifetime Honorary Award for her groundbreaking leadership at UNESCO, her dedication to world peace and her efforts to preserve cultural heritage and promote sustainable development.  

At the 2025 ceremony, candidates represented nearly 80 countries across the world, showcasing a diverse array of cultural expertise. Compared with the first edition, the second Orchid Awards featured nominees with greater international influence, a higher caliber of candidates, and broader representation across different cultural fields. 

Over 300 distinguished guests, including the award winners, gathered in Beijing to celebrate excellence and cross-cultural exchange. Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. 

“Every recipient and participant of the Orchid Awards is an advocate and practitioner of mutual learning and cultural exchange. We must actively promote intercultural dialogue, create more platforms for interaction, broaden channels of communication, and revitalize human culture through meaningful engagement and collaboration,” Li said. 

Among this year’s 10 honorees were the Philadelphia Orchestra and Elyn MacInnis from the U.S., Stuart Wiggin from the UK, Thomas Rabe from Germany and Zafar-Ud-Din Mahmood from Pakistan. 

Reflecting on their roles in advancing the Global Civilizations Initiative, a China-proposed initiative that calls for promoting human progress with inclusiveness and mutual learning, the awardees pledged to continue fostering understanding among societies and promoting closer people-to-people ties worldwide. 

“I believe that dialogue among civilizations is not a luxury that we may put for the next (generation). It should be part of our daily lives of our daily engagement with each other at the grassroots level, as well as on the global stage. Because we have to act as a humanity, one humanity with a shared future,” Bokova stressed.  

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon  

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