Thirty international nominees, including 29 individuals and one organization, have been shortlisted for the Second Orchid Awards, according to a press conference held by China International Communications Group (CICG) in Beijing on May 22. Among them are Luis Marcelo Muñoz, Chairman of the Cátedra China Foundation and founder of Cátedra China in Spain; Irina Bokova, the first female Director-General of UNESCO; and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Ten of the nominees will receive awards, including one Lifetime Honorary Award, three Outstanding Achievement Awards, and six Friendship Envoy Awards. The final list of winners is scheduled to be announced at the awards ceremony in July.
The Orchid Awards are presented to foreign nationals or organizations worldwide that have been committed to the promotion of Chinese culture, and have made significant contributions to promoting exchange and mutual learning among civilizations.
Established by CICG, the Orchid Awards aim to implement the Global Civilization Initiative, promote the common values of humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, consolidate the cultural foundation for building a global community of shared future, and facilitate exchange and mutual learning among civilizations.
"In today's complex and turbulent international landscape, marked by frequent regional conflicts and instability, the power of civilization becomes increasingly prominent, and the value of dialogue ever more precious," Du Zhanyuan, Director of CICG and Chair of the second Orchid Awards Expert Committee, said at the second Orchid Awards Jury Meeting held in Beijing on May 23.
Du noted that the inaugural Orchid Awards honored ten recipients from five continents, who, as awardees, have since been actively engaged in advancing exchange and mutual understanding among human civilizations. Their efforts have also brought greater international attention to the Orchid Awards.
Du Zhanyuan, Director of China International Communications Group and Chair of the second Orchid Awards Expert Committee, addresses the second Orchid Awards Jury Meeting held in Beijing on May 23 (COURTESY PHOTO)
The Orchid Awards Jury Meeting was held by China International Communications Group in Beijing on May 23 (COURTESY PHOTO)
Since its launch in 2022, the Orchid Awards have attracted widespread attention from the international community and have grown into a prominent platform for international cultural exchange. In 2024, CICG held 17 promotional events across 12 countries. Among them, the Global Civilization Dialogues "Rendezvous with the Orchid" was held in Sydney, Australia and received significant attention and praise.
Yu Junwu, a member of the Orchid Awards jury and an Australian director, attended the event in Sydney. "In any era, communication between people is essential. The Orchid Awards play an important role in enhancing cultural exchange and contributing to the enrichment of world civilizations," he told Beijing Review. "Australia is a multicultural country, and Chinese arts and culture are well received by local communities. They have also contributed to the prosperity and development of Australia's multicultural society," Yu said.
Franco Amadei, a member of the Orchid Awards jury and former cultural counselor of the Italian Embassy in China, shared his views from the perspective of China-Europe cultural exchange at the press conference held on May 22. He said that in recent years, even amid rising global tensions, China and Europe still share a strong foundation for dialogue and cooperation, rooted in the geographical continuity of the Eurasian continent—a foundation that once supported the ancient Silk Road and the travels of Marco Polo. Today, China has introduced many concrete measures to promote exchange with Europe, such as the unilateral visa exemption policy, which now extends to 24 EU member states.
"As a European citizen, I sincerely hope that the Orchid Awards will increasingly make full use of the historical and cultural synergies rooted in the Eurasian space, and inject fresh humanistic momentum into the long-term, stable, and healthy development of China-Europe relations," he said.
Rosalind Oliver, a member of the Orchid Awards jury and Founder of the Double Dragon Alliance Cultural Centre in Shanghai, has participated in the event for two consecutive editions. With over 30 years of deep engagement in Chinese culture, she teaches tai chi and Chinese philosophy at the center. She is also dedicated to teaching tai chi in the UK and the U.S., hoping to promote both physical well-being and the values of traditional Chinese culture.
"From learning traditional Chinese culture, I've come to believe that nothing exists in isolation—we are all interconnected. Communication faces huge challenges in the world today, but it's also more important than ever," Oliver told Beijing Review.
"We may hold different views, have different emotions, political ideologies, and economic priorities, but culture is what binds us together as people. It's something we can all appreciate, support, and share. That's what makes the Orchid Awards so meaningful—it highlights how much people are doing for one another through cultural exchange," Oliver said.
