This new paradigm will replace the ‘Clash of Civilizations’ that has characterized world history in recent centuries.

On Tuesday, Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for a rethinking of humanity’s path through a new international cooperation paradigm that transcends the nation-state model and embraces a “dialogue of civilizations” as a political, historical and anthropological foundation for the global future.

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“A dialogue among civilizations cannot be imposed. It is a guiding principle for the relationship between CELAC and China. It is a possibility that China wants, and we want as well,” Petro said during the opening ceremony of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, held in Beijing, where Petro is attending as pro tempore president of Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

“We are only waiting for other peoples of the world to wish for it and to understand that, before the fight against migrants — which is nothing more than the result of poverty in the Global South — and before ethnonationalism, which reminds us of the past, these are merely mirages and sequins. In the end, what unites and must unite all of humanity is the fight for life,” he added.

Petro challenged the “Clash of Civilizations” theory proposed by U.S. political scientist Samuel Huntington, instead advocating for an integrative vision promoted by China — one in which cultural differences are not sources of conflict, but of collective human development as a political subject.

The Colombian president expressed optimism that the CELAC-China meeting could confidently declare “that this gathering is on the right path — the path of dialogue among civilizations, of building humanity, and of the unconditional defense and promotion of life.”

Peace is the Fruit of a United Humanity

“The dialogue among civilizations allows us to move toward a future beyond the classical idea from the 18th century — and a bit earlier — of relationships among nation-states. It is a concept that leads us, decisively, toward the possibility of a united humanity built on its own diversity. Why do we want a united humanity? Not only for peace. Peace is the fruit of a united humanity,” Petro said, noting that historically, relationships have been vertical.

“How could civilizations that are different — Latin, Caribbean, some Anglo-Saxon, others white, to use a more general term — engage in a meaningful dialogue? How could there be fruitful dialogue if we don’t talk about clean energy, for example? If we don’t talk about decarbonization? If we don’t speak as equals about how to achieve, through support for decarbonization in North America, the possibility of prosperity in the South, and therefore, the possibility of mutual cooperation? This has been proposed many times, but it hasn’t moved forward,” he added.

“Electric interconnection via power cables between Colombia and Panama hasn’t moved forward, and the great energy grid of the South — with its enormous potential, equivalent to 1,400 or 1,500 gigawatts — could fully decarbonize the U.S. energy matrix for the benefit of humanity and the life of the planet. But it hasn’t moved forward. It hasn’t moved forward because ideologies are increasingly darkening the heart, soul and mind. It hasn’t moved forward because the climate crisis is denied.”

“In a way, it is CELAC’s responsibility to invite a dialogue among civilizations — a horizontal, not vertical, dialogue that is free from authoritarianism and imperialism. Undoubtedly, in this dialogue among civilizations, a fundamental role would be played by Europe and Africa on one side, and China and Asia on the other,” the Colombian president stated.

Latin America’s Role in Decarbonization

Speaking about Latin America-China relations, Petro said that, “from the Chinese perspective of the Silk Road and the Belt, it is possible to cross horizontally, joining two oceans: the Pacific and the Atlantic. And by doing so, China and other nations can unite the European and African worlds with the Asian and Eastern worlds. Of course!

During his address, Petro reiterated the urgency of confronting the climate crisis, stating that a key path forward is decarbonization through clean energy.

“And that decarbonization necessarily leads us to clean energies. And clean energies, given today’s technologies, are basically already there in potential — waiting for action for life in South America and in Africa, precisely along that horizontal axis,” he said, emphasizing that to make that potential a reality, capital flows are needed.

“If that potential could become action, we could — with Africa and with South America — fundamentally help with economic decarbonization. That would mean investments of our own,” he said, arguing that this would create “another idea of a dialogue among civilizations, because it would provide mutual enrichment, human cooperation, and the construction of a political subject: humanity.”

He noted that fiber-optic cables run along the ocean floor, and proposed that “if we want something concrete between CELAC and China, fiber-optic cables should run from Asia to Latin America and vice versa, along the Pacific coast of Latin America and the Americas in general, and from Asia too.” This would help “connect civilizations, because fiber optics carry content which, in the age of artificial intelligence, is none other than human knowledge.”

“Connecting Latin America with China on one hand, and Latin America with Europe and Africa on the other, can horizontally — and not just vertically — facilitate the flow of knowledge,” he said.

On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and Chilean President Gabriel Boric also attended the opening ceremony of the CELAC-China forum.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Colombian Presidency

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