Prof. Zhang Haipeng, President of Association of Chinese Historians, is delivering a speech.

Representatives from the Association of Chinese Historians and SDU in the 100-day countdown press conference.

On May 16, the Press Conference for the 100 Day Countdown of the 22nd Congress of ICHS was held on the Central Campus of Shandong University (SDU). The conference was held to announce the preparations of the Congress. Up to now, approximately 1,800 people from 79 countries and regions have registered the Congress, which will be the first time that so many countries have been represented in the International Congress of Historical Sciences.

The International Committee of Historical Sciences (ICHS) was founded in Geneva on May 15, 1926.

In attendance at the conference was Prof. Zhang Rong, Director of the 22nd ICHS Organizing Committee, SDU, President of SDU, Prof. Zhang Haipeng, President of the Association of Chinese Historians, Prof. Tao Wenzhao, Assessor Member of the ICHS Board, Prof. Wang Jian Lang, Secretary-general of the Association of Chinese Historians, Chen Shaomin, Vice Director of the General Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province, Shao Jing, Director of Counselors' Office of the People’s Government of Shandong Province, and Prof. Chen Yan, Vice President of SDU, attended the Press Conference. Cao Shengyuan, Chief Accountant of SDU, Vice Director of the 22nd ICHS Organizing Committee, SDU, presided over the conference. Zhang Rong, Zhang Haipeng, Tao Wenzhao, Chen Shaomin, and Ma lihong, Vice Mayor of the Liaocheng Municipal Government, started the liquid crystal ball for the 100 Day Countdown of the 22nd Congress of ICHS.

"This Congress will be a super-excellent opportunity to promote the excellent Chinese culture to proceed onto the world stage," Zhang Rong said in his speech.

Zhang stated that since August 2010 - when the International Committee of Historical Sciences voted to reward the joint organizing rights of the 22nd International Congress of Historical Sciences to the Association of Chinese Historians and Shandong University - SDU has actively communicated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and CISH to establish the principles of organizing the Congress. This was done to insist on academic leadership, fully manifesting the academic level of the Congress; to respect the Congress’s tradition, with an open and rational attitude to organize it; to adhere to first-class standards, excellently plan all kinds of projects, and create a high-end international exchange platform; and to be thrifty and hardworking to seek practical results for the Congress.

"According to the above principles, the SDU Organizing Committee has already made a detailed plan for Congress and formed a working pattern to promote the implementation of the plan with the force of the whole university, so that all aspects of preparatory work are underway in an orderly manner," said Zhang. The SDU Organizing Committee believes that the conference will be able to present a positive image of Jinan to Chinese and foreign historians and show them the hospitality of Jinan and the profound cultural background of SDU. As the host city, Jinan is also famous as a historical and cultural city.

"Shandong University made in-depth and detailed conference preparations and laid a good foundation for the Congress 100 days from now," said Zhang Haipeng in his speech. "This is the first time that Congress has been held in Asia in more than 100 years, which will be significant to Jinan, Shandong, China," he said. "This 22nd Congress embodies the internationalization of ICHS; 79 countries and regions will attend the Congress, setting a new coordinate for the Congress." The 22d International Congress of Historical Sciences (ICHS) held in Jinan is anticipated to be a huge event and "a big historiographical turning point and a great historic event,” according to Prof. Robert Frank, Secretary of CISH. "On the historiographical ground, the Congress will show how successful the recent efforts of the historians have been to avoid Eurocentrism or to escape from research too much centered on the Western point of view," he said.

"This Congress will show how is successful has been their attempt to promote global history and transnational history; this Global and Transnational Turn will be very well represented in the program of the Jinan Congress," he added. Chen Shaomin praised the efforts made by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Association of Chinese Historians, Shandong University, the Shandong Academy of Social Sciences and Association of Shandong Historians for the Congress preparations. He also expressed his hope that the relevant departments would cooperate with each other to promote high quality and high standards for the Congress in their remaining 100 days' effort.

On behalf of the volunteers serving at the Congress, volunteer representative Dong Xiaofei expressed the intention that the volunteers would wholeheartedly serve the domestic and international historians. Three academic seminars were held after the Press Conference, which were hosted by Prof. Fang Hui, Dean of the School of History and Culture at SDU, Prof. Wang Jianlang, Secretary-general of Association of Chinese Historians, and Prof. Wang Yuji from the School of History and Culture at SDU. During the academic seminars, scholars exchanged ideas on experiences and thoughts of attending the previous Congresses, the process of China's bid to host the Congress and the significance of the 22nd ICHS being held in China. Furthermore, they also offered proposals to the 22nd ICHS involving the conference theme, organizing principles, publicity work and other detailed issues.