AS I mentioned in my previous column, I have spent the last two weeks being a student again in China with my friend and favorite collaborator, Oca Casaysay, the former executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
We were the only Filipinos in our class and it turned out we were also the only delegates over 50 years old.
In Chinese culture, old is gold. Respect for elders and the experience and wisdom that come with age is a big deal. I believe that is why Oca, our most senior citizen in class, has become our de facto class president and “Miss Congeniality,” and I became the class valedictorian tasked to speak on behalf of the class during our closing ceremony.
I am happy and proud to have represented not only my entire class, but my hometown, Davao, and my country, the Philippines, well. My classmates all came up to me after the ceremony and thanked me for articulating their thoughts and feelings about our two-week journey.
Our friends from Laos said, “It’s like you read our minds and saw our hearts.” Our Cuban friends tightly hugged me and said, “We love you, thank you for saying what you said.” But our two powerful friends from Gambia, both regional governors, said the most precious comment while shaking my hand firmly: “You represented us well. You gave the best speech. We are the best class.” They said it confidently without any doubt in a James Earl Jones kind of way so it is not up for debate. I just nodded, said thank you, and bowed.
I have no illusion of being the best in our class of leaders and scholars. I think I was chosen to speak because they think my English is better than most in the class. I took the honor and responsibility seriously and I would like to share my speech in today’s column.
Distinguished guests and friends from around the world, Good Morning!
I am honored and humbled to speak on behalf of my fellow delegates participating in the Seminar on Development Assistance under the Global Development Initiative.
All of us in our seminar — from nine wonderful and diverse countries of Cuba, Gambia, Laos, Mauritius, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda — are truly grateful to the Academy for International Business Officials or AIBO, the Ministry of Commerce, the government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese people for inviting us and warmly welcoming us to China.
We all came from different backgrounds and experiences, all leaders of our respective communities and countries, and now we will be leaving united as friends who share a memorable and amazing experience of witnessing together first-hand China’s amazing transformation.
We did not only learn a lot about China and its path to economic development, we are also inspired by the stories of strength, resilience, and innovation of the Chinese people.
We appreciate the wisdom of China heavily investing in human resources, not just within its borders but also outside, with other developing countries in the world. There is a popular saying, “experience is the best teacher,” and being able to come here and experience for ourselves the real China taught us more than any book or propaganda material can ever teach us.
On a more personal note, being in China reconnected me with Confucian philosophy, which was one of my favorite subjects in college. I have observed how Confucius greatly influenced the Chinese people in their efforts to transform China. The emphasis on mutual respect, equality, and being open to learning first-hand and adapting what works for the people’s local context are principles that have served China well in its journey to success.
Putting people first is an admirable principle of the Chinese government that we hope our respective governments will also practice. It is both ideal and pragmatic. When people’s interests are made a priority, the government will have people’s long-term support and cooperation and result in a more sustainable development.
This principle is also being practiced by China in its relations with the rest of the world. Because of China’s history of suffering from violent conflicts and the extreme poverty violence brought, it is now committed to promoting peace and prosperity for all.
There are still people who suspect the Chinese government’s motives for helping other countries, of course. But we would like to believe that China is motivated by the Confucian principle of success: “If you want to succeed, help others to succeed as well. Consider yourself and treat others accordingly: this is the method of humanity.”
In Chinese culture, balance is key. The world is experiencing a great imbalance now with widening gaps of inequality leading to more violent conflicts; with worsening climate crisis that is threatening our planet’s biodiversity and food security; and a global culture — online and offline — that promotes hate and division among us.
China can teach the world about restoring and maintaining balance. This seminar has been a significant step in engaging the rest of the developing world to look at different perspectives and imagining alternative pathways to development.
I think the rest of my friends from this seminar share my view that the most valuable lesson we learned from our two weeks of learning together is this: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each of us must chart our own path according to our respective historical and cultural contexts. We must look within and depend on our own strengths yet we must also be open to learn from and collaborate with others because no journey worth taking is taken alone. We are all in this together because we are all connected and all under the same sky.
Before I end, allow me to thank our lovely and very helpful seminar assistants — Jessica, Jade, Lily, and River. They have made our stay in China comfortable and enjoyable. We will be lost without them. They are very good ambassadors of the Chinese people.
Thank you so much, AIBO and the Chinese government, for bringing us all together and connecting us with wonderful new friends from all over the world. Our success will also be your success and we hope this will be the start of our shared journey to common prosperity and world peace.
And as we say in my hometown, Davao City: “Daghang salamat! Madayaw!”
