Interview: Promoting cultural understanding more important than ever, says expert

LONDON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Promoting cultural understanding is perhaps more important now than ever, as there are "a lot of misunderstandings and conflict" in the world, a British expert has said.

"I firmly believe that the things we have in common are much more powerful than the things that make us different," Nigel Morgan, professor of social sustainability at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom (UK), told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Ultimately, we're all similar. We just have different trajectories through history," he said.

Morgan is an expert in place marketing, tourism, and social sustainability and has led a range of consultancy projects and conducted extensive cultural research across the world.

In his view, the UK and China can learn from each other in terms of tourism practices to promote mutual understanding among different cultures.

"Both countries are very strong in their heritage and history, which are powerful attractors for international tourists," he said.

According to him, the UK and China face similar challenges, as international tourists tend to only visit popular destinations, which is a waste of the tourism resources in the rest of both countries.

The two countries can share good practices, such as presenting their appeal in an accessible way and bringing economic development to less-visited areas, he said.

"Tourism is a way to promote more cultural understanding" as it provides a channel to comprehend other value sets and observe how different people interact, Morgan said.

Recalling his trip to Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province in 2006, he called it "an authentic experience." He described witnessing a traditional tea ceremony on the trip and visiting a local silk market where he bought souvenirs for his family.

If people can understand each other's values and appreciate the heritage and history of other countries via trips, we can "promote peaceful exchanges much more effectively," he said.

In less than a month, Morgan will attend the 2024 Beijing Culture Forum as a panel speaker.

"I'm really looking forward to learning from international case studies, and particularly from Chinese case studies," he told Xinhua, adding that he expects to learn more about Beijing's cultural development strategies.