SOFIA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Public figures, politicians and experts from Bulgaria and China gathered here on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over fascism in World War II and discuss how to maintain peace today.

The event focused on learning from the war's lessons, avoiding future conflict, promoting multilateralism, and strengthening the role of the United Nations (UN).

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli highlighted China's early and sustained resistance against fascism, its sacrifices, and its global support in World War II. She called for China and Europe to work together to uphold the UN-based international system, defend peace, and promote fair globalization.

Mihail Mikov, former president of the Bulgarian National Assembly, stressed the importance of remembering the causes of the war.

In a video message, Hu Wenli, vice-president and director-general of the United Nations Association of China, said this year marks both the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The best way to honor the war's end and the founding of the UN is through stronger multilateral cooperation and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Sofia University professor Alexandar Nikolov said the UN remains a key platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflict. He also emphasized that globalization has shown how interconnected the world has become.