BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,200 guests from 86 countries and regions have gathered in Beijing to exchange views on maintaining global peace and addressing conflicts at the ongoing 13th World Peace Forum (WPF).

Themed "advancing global peace and prosperity: shared responsibility, benefit and achievement," the forum, which runs from July 2 to 4, brings together leading strategists, senior policymakers and former political leaders.

"In the face of serious and complex international developments and escalating regional conflicts, global peace and development face unprecedented challenges," said Li Luming, president of Tsinghua University and chairman of the WPF, told the forum at the opening ceremony on Thursday.

Li noted that amid a turbulent international landscape and rising geopolitical tensions, fostering unity and dialogue is more important than ever.

Addressing the opening ceremony, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama emphasized that peace can be achieved not by using force, but through dialogue, and the forum bears great significance in this regard.

The forum comprises four plenary sessions and 18 panel discussions, where participants will share their perspectives on subjects including the international order and world peace, pan-securitization and the global security predicament, the role of the Global South in achieving world peace and prosperity, and major power coordination and conflict resolution.

Beginning in 2012, Tsinghua University has been co-hosting the forum with the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs. The forum aims to provide a platform of communication and exchange for strategists and think tanks worldwide. ■