UT professor presented a lecture at a meeting of the elites of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China and Eurasian Countries

The spiritual capacity of Eastern civilizations to provide anti-unilateralist frameworks

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (China, and Eurasia Countries) Young Elite Dialogue was organized by the Cooperation Commission of the Regional Organization under the slogan "Together for a Common Future" on 18 January, 2022.

In addition to the representative of our country who attended the meeting at the invitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a number of university professors, directors of research centers and researchers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal , Turkey, Qatar, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Egypt also spoke at the virtual conference.

Dr. Hamed Vafaei, a member of the faculty and director of the Asia Research Center of the University of Tehran, in this meeting, referring to the special conditions in today's world, considered the presentation of models of collective confrontation with human challenges as one of the missions of Eastern civilizations. Referring to the global welcome towards  the convergent initiatives in the framework of "multilateralism", he considered the heritage of Oriental civilization as a rich treasure trove of unique ideas that can help today's desperate human beings.

"Today, the nature of our world's 'global village' has become clearer than ever," he said. How can the economic development of one country help the stagnant environment of other countries, and it is in this environment that the need for international convergence is felt more than ever.

The professor of University of Tehran considered the unilateralism and hegemony of several countries as a factor that has narrowed the field of global interaction and international convergence and added: "Unfortunately, today it is observed that even in the difficult environment of corona spread and the resulting economic recession, some countries,  have increased the hardships of life for other oppressed nations of the world by beating the drums of economic sanctions and restrictive methods, and unilaterally seeks to exploit them by ignoring the inalienable human right to development, health and even life. Their own interests come into play, and of course all of these approaches can be summed up in one title: unilateralism!

Vafaee continued: to consider a country superior to others and with the slogan "Me to be the first!" And to trample on the interests of other nations is an approach that will be isolated in the international system. Clear examples of this can be seen in the support of various countries for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the cooperation of countries in the difficult conditions of the corona epidemic, and the opposition of many independent countries to the oppressive sanctions of a few limited countries.

The Director of the Asia Research Center of the University of Tehran also stated: "The world today needs interaction, dialogue and tolerance more than ever, and Eastern civilizations such as Iran, China or India can interact in the East-East ,  while extracting irreplaceable intellectual frameworks to achieve the space of dialogue in the world today to play their historical role and the design of ideas such as the "common body of human society" whose similar ideas are abundant in the ideas of ancient Iran is a successful example of this approach.

The professor of University of Tehran said: "In today's world, spaces such as the Olympics, where representatives of different countries compete together in an equal atmosphere in a friendly atmosphere, need to be strengthened, supported and expanded, not imposing sanctions and political confrontation." Unfortunately, some countries are addicted to sanctions and put economic sanctions, sometimes health sanctions and sometimes even sports sanctions on the agenda in order to pursue their unilateral interests, but the era of unilateral sanctions seems to be coming to an end. The age of mutual respect and cultural interactions is before humanity.

Lei Yu Cheng, Deputy Foreign Minister of China, Jang Ming, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Sui Li, Director of the Cooperation Commission of the Organization of the Islamic Conference were among the speakers at the opening ceremony of the conference. Emphasizing on convergence in today’s world, they condemned the unilateral attitudes of some countries and stressed on the need for maximum support in holding the Beijing Winter Olympics.