A new bridge of cooperation and intercultural exchange is being built between Greece and China, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Attica Region and the Chinese Jiangsu Province. The agreement, signed by the Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, and the Secretary-General of the Jiangsu local government, Xin Changxing, seeks to enhance inclusion, innovation and equal access to development for citizens and institutions of both regions.

The signing ceremony, in the presence of the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Greece, Fang Qiu, marks a culturally sensitive and progressive approach to international cooperation, where diversity is treated as an asset and not an obstacle.

Six areas of cooperation with a view to inclusion and reciprocity

The Protocol of Cooperation between the two metropolitan regions touches on six key areas, all with the fundamental principle of inclusion, transparency and the interconnection of citizens and cultures:

• Entrepreneurship and Trade : The exchange of know-how and cooperation in the field of the digital economy will provide new opportunities and access to small and medium-sized enterprises, enhancing the participation of all social groups in economic development.
• Scientific and Technological Innovation : With the collaboration of research institutions, the potential for inclusive access to innovation is enhanced, expanding the frontiers of science to young people, women and minority groups.
• Culture : Artistic exchanges between Greece and China promote intercultural dialogue and highlight diversity as a foundation for mutual respect and collective progress.
• Tourism : Cultural and exhibition tourism functions as a means of strengthening cultural identity and understanding diversity, while simultaneously enhancing the participation of vulnerable groups in tourism development.
• Sports : Through joint actions and exchange of experiences in organizing sporting events, the power of sports is highlighted as a tool for social integration and acceptance of diversity.
• Sustainable Development : Cooperation on environmental policies strengthens social equality, as the most vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

Statements with an emphasis on the intercultural approach

The Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, stated that the relationship with Jiangsu is “being forged step by step, based on mutual respect and our common cultural history.” The Greek government and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis personally support these collaborations, which, as he emphasized, “are not fragmentary, but have continuity and consistency.”

The report by the Secretary General of Jiangsu, Mr. Xin Changxing, on the dynamics of the agreement was also important: “Our cooperation shows how real and effective the contact between two peoples with deep cultural heritage can be. Attica is the birthplace of the Marathon and the Olympic Games – symbols of peace and global inclusion.”

A new chapter open to all

This agreement is not limited to a governmental or technocratic level. It is an opening towards civil society, towards young people, researchers, artists and professionals who want to participate in a world that respects differences and builds on them.

From culture as a common point of reference to innovation and environmental sustainability, the Attica-Jiangsu cooperation can be an international example of how diversity becomes a force for change.