May 11th of 2010 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Matteo Ricci. A symposium on cultural exchange and applied ethics was successfully held in the University of International Business and Economics, aiming to create a platform for sharing constructive proposals that incite cooperative initiatives towards sustainable development of Sino-European relations union and prosperity of less developed regions in China as well as the world. This symposium was co-organized by the Embassy of Italy, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, with strong support from the Beijing Administrative College and Delegation of the European Union. The Center for International Business Ethics and the Center for International Business Chinese Communication at UIBE played as the co-executive organizers.

There were more than 150 experts, scholars and entrepreneurs both from China and Europe who attended the symposium. H.E. Riccardo Sessa, Ambassador of Italy delivered an opening address and highly prized the historic contributions of Metteo Ricci. Even today, people from China and Europe benefit from the bridge of friendship built by Matteo Ricci more than 400 years ago. Afterwards, Prof. Dr. Shi Jianjun, principal of UIBE, Prof. Dr. Sun Weiping, Vice-Director of the Institute for Philosophy at CASS, Prof. Dr. Eugene Geinzer, the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) also delivered opening addresses.
The symposium focused on two relevant main topics: Matteo Ricci’s spirit and his historic significance & the practical issues between Sino-European cooperation. Dr. Ren Dayuan from Chinese National Academy of Art, Dr. Stephan Rothlin from CIBE，Prof. Dr. Gan Shaoping from CASS and Mr. Jacques de Boisséson from the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China presented their keynote speeches on relevant topics from multiple aspects.

In the end, H.E. Serge Abou, Ambassador of the European Union in China made the conclusion. He expects for the symposium to be designed as an annual event to contribute towards the promotion and enhancement of intercultural understandings and cooperation between China and the West.

A guided tour to the Matteo Ricci Tomb located in Beijing Administrative College was arranged after the commencement of the symposium. H.E. Riccardo Sessa, Ambassador of Italy, presented a flower laying ceremony on the tomb to honor the memory of Matteo Ricci. Prof. Terrence Curry from Tsinghua University presided over a "Words of Blessing" ceremony.