LANZHOU, May 30 (Xinhua) -- A media roundtable of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries was held on Friday in Dunhuang, a city along the ancient Silk Road in northwest China's Gansu Province.

Journalists, experts and scholars from China and 12 CEE countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland and Bulgaria, gathered in the city to discuss the media's role in strengthening exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

Facing an increasingly interconnected yet complex global information environment, attendees emphasized that media organizations bear greater responsibility in deepening cooperation, reducing misunderstandings through rational, fact-based reporting, and enhancing people-to-people ties and mutual learning among civilizations.

"Media can be one of our strongest tools for building bridges between civilizations. Let us use this power wisely," said Dejan Jazvic, editor-in-chief of the Federal News Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the event.

Jazvic said that people-to-people communication is especially important in today's world. Closer media cooperation can help people separated by great distances better understand one another, jointly respond to common challenges, and build a more connected future, he added.

Maria Nikolaeva Nishandzhieva, supervisor of the Website Editor Team at Bulgarian newspaper 24 Hours, expressed similar views. Open exchanges and international cooperation could help reduce misunderstandings, mitigate the impact of misinformation, and bring people from different nations closer together, she said.

Jan Klokocovnik, a journalist with Slovenia's newspaper Primorske novice, said that today's world is more interconnected than ever before, but misunderstandings, prejudices and differences persist.

According to Klokocovnik, media collaboration enables diverse voices to be heard, helps break down stereotypes, and builds bridges for communication and exchanges among young people from all countries.

Ana Maria Alessandra Dobra, senior foreign affairs and prime-time news anchor at Romania's RealitateaPlus TV, said Dunhuang has historically witnessed not only the flow of goods but also the meeting of ideas and civilizations.

Today, media professionals around the world should continue telling stories of exchanges between civilizations with equality, respect and sincerity, Dobra said.

During their visit to Dunhuang, journalists from the CEE countries also visited major local attractions to experience the cultural charm and vitality of the city. ■