Future Communities · Global South International Forum Successfully Held at the University of Hong Kong

From July 9 to 11, 2025, the "Future Communities · Global South International Forum (Community Development in the Global South: Resilience | Innovation | Transformation)" was successfully held at the University of Hong Kong. Hosted by the Global Society and Sustainability Lab (Culture, Equity and Community Development Strategic Research Theme, Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU), and co-organized by Great Future Social Innovation Center (Beijing), The Greater Bay Area Innovation Think Tank (Hong Kong), Department of Sociology, Zhejiang University (Hangzhou), and Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, HKU, the forum was sponsored by the Institute for Global Civilization (Hong Kong).

A total of 52 representatives from academia, civil society organizations, and the business sector, hailing from Mainland China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries and regions, gathered together to conduct in-depth dialogues and collaborative explorations over three days around the theme of "how to define and co-build future-oriented sustainable communities in the Global South".

Multilateral Collaboration to Co-build a Vision

On July 8, the eve of the forum, participants gathered at the University of Hong Kong. After a guided campus tour, they had dinner together. During the welcoming reception, they exchanged culturally rich small gifts from various countries and regions, building a bridge of friendship.

The forum officially opened on the morning of July 9. Prof. David A. PALMER, Professor of the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong and representative of the host Global Society and Sustainability Lab, Ms. YAO Yue, representative of co-organizer Great Future Social Innovation Center (Beijing), and Prof. LIANG Yongjia from co-organizer Department of Sociology, Zhejiang University delivered welcoming remarks respectively. They emphasized that in the face of increasingly complex development challenges in Global South countries, it is necessary to seek new community development models that integrate localization and globalization while respecting diverse civilizations.

After the opening ceremony, participants took part in a two-hour ice-breaking activity. They introduced themselves and actively discussed key issues that future communities need to address, the ideal community in 10 years, and contributions that individuals and organizations can make, creating an open and trusting atmosphere for subsequent dialogues.

Over the three-day agenda, the forum adopted a format of "thematic presentations + roundtable discussions + breakout dialogues" to explore practical challenges and innovative experiences in the Global South regarding multiple issues such as infrastructure, community building, and sustainable development.

Focus 1: Social Organizations and People-to-People Connectivity

In the academic presentation session on the afternoon of the first day, Prof. HUANG Haoming, President of Hainan Asia Philanthropy Research Institute, delivered a keynote speech on "The Current Situation, Challenges and Strategies of International Cooperation of Chinese Social Organizations". He emphasized the increasingly important role of social organizations "going global" in promoting people-to-people connectivity under the "Belt and Road" Initiative. He pointed out that Chinese social organizations are gradually transitioning from project-based cooperation to systematic support in their cooperation with Global South countries, and proposed six strategic recommendations for future development.

The subsequent roundtable discussion on "Community Engagement Across Cultures" conducted in-depth exchanges around community differences, cross-cultural communication, and religious and belief identity. In the breakout sessions, one group focused on "Social Entrepreneurship and Community Development", while the other explored the interactive tensions between "Faith and Development", providing diverse perspectives for the synergy of culture, economy, and values.

Focus 2: New Paradigms for Sustainable Development Governance

The agenda on the second day focused on the collaborative mechanism of sustainable development from both "top-down and bottom-up" perspectives. Dr. Austin STRANGE, Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong, used big data research to demonstrate the evolution of infrastructure projects led by China in Global South countries since 1949 and analyzed their multiple impacts on local societies. Prof. Marie K. Harder from Fudan University and HUANG Yanyan, a postdoctoral researcher at Fudan University, from a sociological perspective, proposed a "local participation path based on shared values" and demonstrated how to enhance the local adaptability of policy responses through community prototype indicators.

"International Development Models", "Community-based Governance Practices", and "Hong Kong's Strategic Role in Promoting Cooperation Between China and the Global South" became the key themes of the three roundtable discussions on that day. It was proposed that "Hong Kong is not only a geographical bridge but also a test platform for methodological and institutional innovation", with co-organizer The Greater Bay Area (GBA) Innovation Think Tank (Hong Kong) and Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, HKU playing important roles in promoting regional cooperation.

Public Session and Future Outlook

The public session on July 11 further pushed the dialogue to a climax. In the welcoming remarks, Prof. David A. PALMER (representative of the host Global Society and Sustainability Lab), Prof. WEN Ming (Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU), and Prof. Hon Priscilla LEUNG Mei-fun, GBS, JP (Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR) jointly affirmed the significant role of the forum in exploring cooperation mechanisms for the Global South.

Mr. ZHOU Yiping, the first Chairman of the UN Development Group Coordination Committee for South-South Cooperation and Chief International Consultant of Great Future Social Innovation Center (Beijing), delivered a keynote speech entitled "Redefining and Co-building Sustainable Future Communities in the Global South". He proposed building a new community paradigm featuring inclusiveness, diversity, and technology sharing based on the principles of "Heritage, Innovation, Symbiosis", put forward the "SUSTAINABLE" model concept for the first time, advocated for the construction of a global collaborative ecosystem driven by an open-source artificial intelligence platform, and put forward a "five-in-one" initiative for co-building "Global South Sustainable Future Communities (GSSFC)".

In the final sharing and response session, representatives from various countries and fields gave summary speeches based on the exchanges over the previous two days. They expressed their common expectations for the concept of "a Global South community" and emphasized the importance of continuous cooperation mechanisms, subsequent topic setting, and resource integration.

Initiatives and Outcomes: The Starting Point of Collaborative Action

The multiple discussions at the forum not only built a platform for South-South dialogue but also gave birth to preliminary cooperation initiatives. After the forum, representatives from the host Global Society and Sustainability Lab and each co-organizer reached a consensus on establishing a continuous communication mechanism. In the future, they plan to carry out specific cooperation through online platforms, research networks, and co-built projects. In addition, the forum also facilitated a number of intentional cooperation among universities, think tanks, enterprises, and social organizations, covering multiple fields such as green finance, community building, cultural preservation, and transnational NGO governance.

A New Starting Point for Global South Dialogue

The "Future Communities · Global South International Forum" is not just a conference, but a collective exercise in civilizational dialogue, development restructuring, and institutional innovation. The dialogue emphasized the value of experience exchange, knowledge sharing, and community development projects in promoting understanding and cooperation among different cultures. With the support of sponsor Institute for Global Civilization (Hong Kong), and through close interactions between academia, social organizations, and practitioners from the host and co-organizers, the forum proposed a possible blueprint for independent narratives and collective actions in the Global South, further deepening the practical foundation of the concept of "a community with a shared future for mankind".

Facing an uncertain future and complex global situation, with the core philosophy of "Heritage · Innovation · Symbiosis", the forum gathered ideas, connected resources, and built consensus under the joint efforts of the host, co-organizers, and sponsor, becoming an important starting point for the Global South to co-create future communities.