Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Hellenic Republic, the Ministry of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic and the Chinese Embassy in the Hellenic Republic, and co-organized by the University of the Aegean and Henan University, the 2^nd Sino-Hellenic International Conference on Global Issues of Environment & Culture was held in Delphi, the Hellenic Republic on September 17, 2021. Due to the pandemic, participants from the Henan Provincial Department of Education and Henan University attended the opening ceremony online via video conference.

Also present were leaders of the organizing institutions, such as Chrysi VITSILAKI, Rector of the University of the Aegean, Chun-Peng SONG, President of Henan University, and Changhong MIAO, Director of the Research Center of Yellow River Civilization and Sustainable Development of Henan University, patronage-governmental officials, such as Lina MENDONI, Minister of Culture & Sports, Vasilis KIKILIAS, Minister of Tourism, Angelos SYRIGOS, Deputy-Minister of Education & Religious Affairs, and Qiang WANG, Charge d’ Affairs, Minister Councillor (Chinese Embassy, Athens), academicians, such as Klaus MAINZER, President of the European Academy of Sciences & Arts, and Christos ZEREFOS, Secretary General of the Academy of Athens, and local authorities, such as Ioannis BOUGAS, Phokis Province Member of Parliament Representative, Hengzhen XU, Class II Counsel of the Henan Provincial Department of Education, Fanis SPANOS, Regional Governor of Central Greece Province, and Panagiotis TAGKALIS, Mayor of the Municipality of Delphi.

Ioannis LIRITZIS from the University of the Aegean and Henan University chaired the opening ceremony.

On behalf of the Chinese organizers of the conference, Chun-Peng SONG expressed his sincere welcome to all the experts, scholars and government officials participating both in person and online, and briefly introduced Henan University's progress in construction of disciplines and platforms. He hoped that this conference could pool global wisdom and strength to build a community of life for man and nature, and a community with a shared future for mankind in the era of globalization and in the post-pandemic era.

Qiang WANG said that governments and academic communities of China and Greece should further cooperation in culture, environment and climate change to double the outcomes.

Chrysi VITSILAKI, Lina MENDONI, Vasilis KIKILIAS and Angelos SYRIGOS all noted in their speeches that both China and Greece are nations with ancient civilizations and rich historical and cultural heritage. The two peoples understand and stand by each other, creating a powerful driving force for the friendly and mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two sides. Both of us should promote exchanges and mutual learning among cultures, and work together to produce fruitful results in wisdom sharing, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural cooperation.

Hengzhen XU introduced the geographic location, history, culture, education, and international exchanges of Henan Province. He said that the cross-regional comparative study jointly conducted by the University of the Aegean and Henan University would broaden our horizons, increase our cognition, and provide strength and wisdom for building a community with a shared future for mankind. He wished that this conference could set an example for academic research cooperation and development between China and Greece.

Changhong MIAO stated that this conference discussed the relations between environment and culture from different disciplines in different periods and regions to provide theoretical support and referential experience for solving the above challenges faced by human society.

This conference, which was an important part of the Year of Culture and Tourism between China and Greece in 2021, lasted for three days. The Sino-Hellenic International Conference on Global Issues of Environment & Culture is a high-end international academic exchange conference co-organized by Henan University and the University of the Aegean. It is held annually by the two universities in turn.