The third "Balkan Studies" Forum was held at Beijing Foreign Studies University, hosted by the Balkan Studies Center of BFSU and the European Language and Culture Institute, attracting more than 50 experts and scholars from multiple countries. The forum theme is "Balkan Cultural Inheritance and Diversified Development". Participants explored the interactive relationship between Balkan culture and political economy from a multidisciplinary perspective, analyzed the inheritance and transformation of traditional culture in Balkan society, as well as the motives and paths for cultural reconstruction and diversified development.

Cultural Heritage of the Balkans

Due to its unique geographical location, the Balkan region has integrated Eastern and Western civilizations, forming a distinctive cultural landscape. Experts explored the impact of cultural heritage from different empires on the Balkans, as well as the excavation and reshaping of traditional culture in the process of modernization. The influence of Byzantine culture on the Balkans was profound, and the theology, philosophy, and culture of the Balkans in the Middle Ages were formed through interaction with Byzantine culture. The cultural and political development of Balkan peoples is largely attributed to the influence of Byzantium. The diversity of Balkan culture is reflected in rich and unique art forms, such as the dissemination and evolution of shadow puppetry. The acceptance and transformation of cultural heritage by Balkan ethnic groups are closely related to the political and economic situation of specific historical periods. Experts also discussed the current status of global Balkan research, pointing out the need to re-examine the cultural identity of the Balkans, overcome methodological and theoretical entanglements, and form positive regional cultural characteristics.

Diversified Construction of Ethnic Identity

Explored the diverse construction of ethnic identity in the Balkan Peninsula and emphasized the role of cultural traditions in the construction of national identity. Scholars have revealed the complexity of cultural interpretation and the diversity of identity through analyzing literary works, cultural heritage, and political discourse. Milutinovic analyzed the criticism of Andri ć by the Bosnian nationalist literary movement, pointing out its lack of basis. Bradash explores the recognition of minority identity by Balkan writers in multicultural cities. Pangalos analyzed the different reactions of the Greek government and media to the discovery of Alexander the Great's tomb, and explored the complex relationship between cultural heritage and national identity. Wangli and Panov discussed the sense of identity of former Yugoslavia countries towards Yugoslavia and its impact on China's relations with the Balkans. Xu Gang analyzed the reasons for the failure of the Balkan League movement between the two world wars, emphasizing the influence of nationalism in Balkan politics.

3 Diversified Paths of Modernization Development

Explored the complexity of modernization development in the Balkan region and analyzed the commonalities and differences of its modernization paths. Experts discussed the evolution of the concept of modernity, the process of economic modernization, and the development of diversified modernization from the perspectives of literature, economics, and others. The evolution of the concept of modernity reflects changes in national mentality and is a key factor in choosing the path of diversified modernization. The Serbian travelogue text shows the interaction between foreign images and domestic progress. The self construction of Serbian culture has gone through three stages: westernization, de westernization, and the construction of a new vision. Economic modernization is a prominent topic in the modernization agenda. Balkan countries have relatively backward economic development and need to find common obstacles to economic growth. Experts analyzed the economic modernization process of Balkan countries and pointed out that structural factors such as initial development level, technology, state intervention, education level, and enterprise structure have a more significant impact on economic development. The economic structure of Balkan countries has many problems and requires coordination of endogenous, exogenous, and institutional factors to achieve economic growth. Western Balkan countries should promote the transformation of their export structure towards diversification and the export of high value-added products, in order to promote national economic growth. The privatization reforms in Balkan countries have different goals and institutional environments that interact with each other, resulting in different privatization models and outcomes. Scholars also discussed the richness of modernization connotations and emphasized the importance of diverse development in current society. The development of ecological criticism in Southeast Europe presents a gradual, unbalanced, and fragmented characteristic, with the potential for further development. The development potential of cultural mixing in cross-cultural communication between Europe and Serbia requires a reciprocal and sincere exchange concept and practice.

4 Conclusion

Professor Ke Jing emphasized in the conclusion the forum's in-depth exploration of the history and current situation of the Balkans. Professor Pavlovic thanked the organizers and looked forward to future cooperation. The forum has a strong academic atmosphere, promoting exchanges between domestic and foreign scholars and teachers and students from Beijing Foreign Studies University. It showcases the achievements of the Balkan Research Center in talent cultivation and international cooperation, provides a platform for exchanges in the field of Balkan research, and promotes the all-round development of domestic research.