JINAN -- A forum on Confucius culture opened Wednesday in East China's Shandong province.

The 5th Nishan Forum on World Civilization drew 263 scholars from home and abroad to the city of Qufu to discuss Confucianism, international politics, religion and humanity.

The forum coincides with the China Qufu International Confucius Cultural Festival.

During the event, there will be three high-level dialogues, four themed speeches and a series of sub-forums.

"Shandong is the home of Confucius and an important source of Chinese traditional culture," said Liu Jiayi, secretary of Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. "We shoulder the responsibility to creatively pass on traditional culture, and need to enhance communication between Chinese civilization and the rest of the world."

Confucius (551-479 BC), an educator and thinker, has influenced countless generations of Chinese society.