In today's world, ICT infrastructure capable of distributing massive amounts of information anytime, anywhere is becoming more abundant. However, from the viewpoint of the potential to exchange "any kind of information with anyone" as we like, we have come to recognize various barriers such as those of language, mistrust and distance. In order to discuss how to overcome these barriers and create more human-centered communication environments, we have held three International Symposia in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively, under the basic concept of "Universal Communication". This year, we will have the 4th International Universal Communication Symposium (IUCS 2010) in Beijing, China, aiming to further promote productive discussion and research exchange.