（Photo of Participants）

In the morning of April 16, 2019, the topic selection symposium of the 8th Songshan Forum (2019) was held at the Institute of Advanced Humanities Studies of Peking University (abbreviated as IAHS). 28 delegates from IAHS, Songshan Forum Organizing Committee, China International Cultural Exchange Center and Dengfeng Municipal Party Committee participated in the symposium. Professor Fan Heping, deputy director of the World Ethics Center of Peking University, presided the meeting.
At the meeting, Zhang Guangzhi, chairman of the Organizing Committee of Songshan Forum and former vice-chairman of Henan Provincial People’s Political Consultative Conference, firstly summarized the achievements of Songshan Forum in past seven years, and highly appraised the academic research ability and topic selection scheme of cooperative institutes, especially the IAHS. He also put forward the main principles for the topic selection of this year’s Songshan Forum.
Researcher Zhao Baoyou, Director of the Secretariat of Songshan Forum, Mr. Xu Honghai, Secretary-General of China International Cultural Exchange Center, Professor Fan Heping, Vice-Director of the World Ethics Center of Peking University and Vice-President of Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, Yao Xinzhong, Professor of Department of Philosophy, Renmin University of China and Visiting Scholar of the IAHS，Professor Chen Lisheng from Department of Philosophy, Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Qiao Qingju, Supervisor of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, Dr. Wang Jianbao, Associate Researcher of the IAHS, Dr. Wang Zheng, Vice Editor of Institute of Philosophy of China Academy of Social Sciences, Dr. Jonathan Keir, Visiting Scholar of the IAHS, Dr. Liu Gaosheng, Post-doctor of the IAHS, Ms. Wang Chao, Standing Committee of the Dengfeng Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda Department of the Municipal Committee, attended the meeting.
During the meeting and the following colloquium, the delegates analysed and discussed the unique advantages, overall development design, principles of political selection and thematic ideas of this year’s Songshan Forum. It was pointed out that the Songshan Forum should "grasp the most cutting-edge issues in China and the world", be academic-oriented, global-oriented, high-end positioning and dialogue-based. Prof. Tu Weiming, Dean of the IAHS, participated in the conference via telephone. He provided important guidance for the topic selection of the Songshan Forum.
Delegates reached consensus on the schedule and orientation of the theme of this year's forum. The detail of the project will be announced to the public in the coming days. This symposium has laid a solid base for the success of this year's Forum and the sustainable and high-quality development of the future Songshan Forum.

Liu Gaosheng (Post-doctor of the IAHS)