Shenyang (TDI)The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) People’s Diplomacy Forum and the Sister Cities Forum 2025 concluded in the Chinese city of Shenyang with senior officials and delegates from over 20 countries affirming their support for stronger grassroots cooperation and regional linkages.
The two-day event, held from July 3 to 4, was organized by the SCO Committee on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, the Liaoning Provincial Government, and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The forum brought together more than 300 participants from member states, observer countries, and dialogue partners—including political representatives, academics, business leaders, and civil society actors.
In his address at the opening session, SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Ermekbayev emphasized the growing significance of people-to-people diplomacy in shaping regional trust and understanding. “In today’s complex world, mutual respect and cultural dialogue between societies play a central role in our shared progress,” he said.
Ermekbayev noted that most SCO countries are actively supporting public diplomacy efforts and that initiatives such as student exchanges, joint educational programs, and cultural festivals now form an essential pillar of cooperation within the SCO. He expressed confidence that outcomes from the forum would translate into concrete projects and new platforms of collaboration in the near future.
On the sidelines of the event, a collective meeting was held between the heads of participating delegations and provincial leaders from Liaoning, including Secretary of the CPC Liaoning Committee Hao Peng and Governor Wang Xinwei. The interactions reinforced subnational cooperation as a key instrument of the SCO’s broader regional vision.
Among the high-level attendees were Shen Yueyue, Vice-Chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of the SCO Good-Neighborliness Commission; Marat Imankulov, Secretary of State of the Kyrgyz Republic; and Ziyafat Asgarov, First Deputy Speaker of Azerbaijan’s National Assembly. Discussions throughout the forum reflected a consensus on expanding exchanges across cities, universities, and cultural institutions.
The theme of this year’s forum—“Deepening Public Friendship and Promoting Sustainable Development”—highlighted the role of civic partnerships in addressing common challenges such as education access, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth.
During the two-day proceedings, several cooperation agreements were signed between regional authorities and institutions from SCO member states, aimed at promoting sister-city partnerships, tourism collaboration, and education-based exchanges.
For Pakistan, participation in such forums remains a part of its broader outreach strategy within the SCO, underscoring Islamabad’s focus on cultural diplomacy, regional connectivity, and soft power engagement. Delegates from Pakistan joined discussions on people-centered development, reaffirming their support for shared progress through dialogue and cooperation.
The forum in Shenyang not only reaffirmed the SCO’s commitment to multilateralism but also showcased the increasing role of non-traditional diplomacy in forging closer regional ties. As the organization continues to evolve, such people-to-people mechanisms are expected to remain central to its future direction.
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