Speech by D. Avramopoulos during the tour of Tsinghua University students at the Hellenic Parliament, September 1, 2025.

 

 

Dear Students,

Distinguished Professor Vasilis Trigkas,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure and a true honor to welcome the 28 students of Tsinghua University here today. Your presence gives us the opportunity to celebrate not only academic exchange, but also the profound friendship between two of the world’s oldest civilizations, China and Greece.

Allow me to begin by congratulating you on being members of one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Tsinghua University is not simply an academic institution; it is a symbol of excellence, discipline, and vision. It has educated generations of leaders, innovators, and thinkers who have shaped modern China’s remarkable story of progress. To be a student there is already a distinction, but also a responsibility: a responsibility to use knowledge for the betterment of your country and of humanity.

China, your great nation, stands today at the heart of global transformation. With its history of five thousand years of civilization, its achievements in science and technology, and its growing role in world affairs, China is a pillar of the international community. Greece, though much smaller, carries within its history another ancient civilization — the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, and many of the values that underpin our modern societies.

It is this shared depth of history that makes the bonds between Greece and China so unique. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Silk Road connected our peoples through trade, ideas, and cultural exchanges. Today, we are called to renew and strengthen those bonds — not with caravans and ships alone, but with dialogue, education, and the exchange of people, like all of you who are here today.

Our cultures have always believed in the transformative power of knowledge. Confucius in China and Socrates in Greece both taught that wisdom is not simply the accumulation of facts, but the pursuit of virtue and truth. This, I believe, is what unites our civilizations at the deepest level: the conviction that learning is a pathway not only to personal success, but also to the improvement of society as a whole.

Dear students,

We are living in times of profound change. Before our eyes, a new world is being born. Technology is reshaping the way we live, work, and communicate. Climate change is challenging our survival and demanding urgent collective action. Geopolitical tensions threaten peace in different corners of the globe. Migration, inequality, and pandemics remind us how interconnected and fragile our world has become.

But this new world cannot and must not be built on fear, confrontation, or division. It must be built on principles and values: respect for human dignity, cooperation among nations, openness to diversity, and the pursuit of peace. These are not abstract ideals. They are the practical foundations for a sustainable and secure global order. And they are the ideals that both Greece and China, as ancient civilizations, have cherished through the ages.

In this new era, your generation has a historic responsibility. You are not simply students preparing for careers. You are the future leaders, scientists, diplomats, and innovators who will shape the course of humanity. You must be ready to think critically, to act responsibly, and to engage across cultures and borders. The friendships you make today — between Chinese and Greek students, between East and West — may one day become bridges of cooperation that prevent conflict and promote understanding.

Let me also say that dialogue is not just a matter of diplomacy or politics. It begins with people. It begins with the willingness to listen, to learn from one another, and to respect what is different. This is why cultural diplomacy is so important. When we bring together music, literature, philosophy, and art from Greece and China, we are not only celebrating the past; we are building a language of trust for the future.

Dear friends,

I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to your distinguished professor, Vasilis Trigkas. He has dedicated his academic career to fostering deeper understanding between Greece, Europe, and China. His work reminds us that education is not about walls and boundaries, but about opening doors and building bridges. You are fortunate to be guided by a scholar who combines rigorous knowledge with a vision of dialogue between civilizations.

In two months’ time, I will have the pleasure to meet you again in Beijing. I am very much looking forward to that encounter, not only to continue this dialogue but also to see you in your own academic and cultural environment. Beijing is not only the capital of your country, but also a symbol of continuity between the past and the future — a place where ancient history and modern dynamism meet.

Let me conclude with this thought:

The great civilizations of Greece and China teach us that the strength of a society lies not only in its power or wealth, but in its values, its culture, and its wisdom. As students of Tsinghua University, as young ambassadors of China, you carry this heritage with you. Use it to build bridges, not walls. Use it to pursue peace, not confrontation. Use it to shape a world where cooperation and understanding prevail over rivalry and division.

Welcome once again. I wish you a fruitful and inspiring stay, and I look forward to seeing you soon in Beijing.

Thank you.