International Daoist Forum in Hangzhou, China, called for stronger dialogue between cultures, responsible use of technology and efforts to promote human well-being 

The sixth International Daoist Forum concluded in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, in eastern China on Saturday, 7 November. Around 500 Daoist representatives, experts and scholars from 46 countries attended the four-day gathering. Among them were Slovenia's representatives, Rector Jure Čeh  and Vice-rector mag. Darija Mavrič Čeh, of the Slovenian Daoist Temple of Supreme Harmony, which is based in Koper's old town. 

At the second General Assembly of the World Federation of Daoism (WFD), held as part of the gathering, Jure Čeh was elected Deputy Secretary-General of the WFD. 

"Having a representative at the very top of the WFD is an exceptional honour for our small Daoist community in Slovenia, but also a great responsibility in fostering global connections, developing Daoism and promoting the values of peaceful coexistence amid the rich diversity of cultures," he stressed upon returning home.

The declaration of this year's forum called on Daoist communities around the world to build bridges between different faiths and cultures, promote the ethical development of digital technologies and draw on traditional Daoist teachings to support physical and mental health.

It also highlighted the importance of preserving simplicity and traditional values, helping people in need and training Daoist practitioners in international perspectives and intercultural communication skills.

Daoism is one of the five officially recognised religions of the PRC. 

Daoist culture has "profound and unique value for the world," stressed the head of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Li Ganjie, in his opening address. 

The participation and presence of senior Chinese political representatives reflect China's strong support for the work of the World Federation of Daoism and the spread of Daoism beyond its borders. 

The forum was held under the theme "道生德化，天下和合 - Cultivating virtue through the Dao, fostering harmony under heaven", which ran through the discussions at five sub-forums. These addressed the significance of Daoist culture in contemporary life and its global spread, technological development, healthy living and the development of talent.

Rector of Slovenian Daoist temple Jure Čeh also spoke at the sub-forum on the contemporary value of Daoist culture, giving a lecture entitled Cross-cultural dissemination of Daoism: tradition, translation and the value of Daoism in the modern world. In an interview with Chinese national television China News Service, he was asked whether Daoism could offer an answer to the problems of the modern world. He replied that Daoism itself has no magic wand: one needs to begin practising Daoist techniques. One of these is sitting in forgetfulness, or zuo wang. In the West, we call a similar, though not quite identical, practice meditation.

"First, we must calm our minds and find a genuine connection with the world. By this I mean all our relationships: social, personal and with the environment." He advised young people: "Stop! Calm your emotions and your mind! Take time for contemplation, meditation, for sitting in forgetfulness. Five or fifteen minutes a day to calm your emotions and mind is the beginning of good practice. All change begins with the individual: each person can cultivate only themselves. The more people devote themselves to inner self-cultivation, the more harmonious society can be."  

As part of the forum, jointly organised by the World Federation of Daoism and the China Religious Culture Communication Association, an exhibition of precious Daoist classics opened, featuring some of the oldest surviving editions of the foundational Daoist text Daode jing. 

The International Daoist Forum traces its roots to a gathering devoted specifically to the Daode jing, held in China in 2007 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and Hong Kong. Since then, it has developed into a platform for exchanging knowledge and fostering intercultural and interfaith dialogue among Daoist communities around the world.

SDT Media Centre Director Lea Širok/Xuan Nu