On October 19–22, 2025, Budapest hosted the 4th China–CEEC Curator’s Forum of Libraries Union, an international conference aiming to connect libraries from China and the Central and Eastern European countries. The China–CEEC Libraries Union was established in 2018 with more than 50 libraries from China and Central and Eastern European countries in Hangzhou, committed to building an exchange platform between these countries and promoting common development of member libraries.
The professional program of the Forum was jointly prepared and organised by the HNMPCC NSZL and Secretariat of the Libraries Union in China, and despite the geographical distance, the joint work progressed seamlessly owing to the regular and well-coordinated consultations. The event provided an excellent opportunity for dialogue between the member libraries, for strengthening cooperation between them, and for sharing good practices, results, and experiences.
The keynote presentations featured renowned international experts who presented trends and innovations shaping the future of libraries. Helen Mandl, Deputy Secretary General of IFLA gave her presentation on “Translating Trends – Transforming Ideas to Impactful Local Actions” discussing how global library trends could be transformed into effective local initiatives. Andrew Cranfield, Director of EBLIDA held his keynote speech “Shelter from the Storm” emphasising the social role of libraries as spaces for dialogue, inclusion and transformation. Liu Dong, Director General of Hangzhou Public Library, presented the concept of community New Reading Spaces, while Ding Yong, Deputy Director of Nanjing Library spoke about collaboration-based methods for data analysis and knowledge sharing. Judit Gerencsér, Deputy Director General of the National Széchényi Library gave a presentation on the trends and Hungarian innovations shaping the future of national libraries, and Jasmina Ninkov, Director of the National Library of Serbia concluded the keynotes by interpreting the future of libraries through the concepts of Connection, Creation, Interaction, and Inspiration.
The central theme of the conference provided a fitting framework for discussing current and forward-looking issues in the field of librarianship. The conference focused on complex digital challenges through knowledge sharing and professional dialogue. The programme included topics such as digitalisation, digital transition, technological development, and artificial intelligence, as well as the opportunities and best practices arising from these processes.
Participants of the conference were welcomed to give their presentation in the following six sessions:
Over the course of the event thirty-three professional presentations were delivered, showcasing various aspects of library innovation, professional cooperation, best practices, and the application of technological developments. Representatives from eight countries participated, reflecting the growing importance of international dialogue and knowledge sharing in the library sector.
The Forum aimed to strengthen the cultural pillar of the cooperation between the Chinese and Central and Eastern European countries and it offered an excellent opportunity to collectively seek solutions for current challenges. The discussions and collaborations of these four days reaffirmed that the future of libraries depends on our capacity to learn from one another, to innovate together, and to uphold our shared mission. Strengthened by the dedication of its members, the China–CEEC Libraries Union stands ready to continue building bridges between cultures, expanding professional cooperation and contributing to a vibrant global library community.