Nanjing-Florence Cultural Industry Exchange Conference and the 45th Anniversary Celebration of Nanjing-Florence FriendshipTime：2025-03-04
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On March 3, Zhou Hongbo, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Committee, led a Nanjing delegation to visit the Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center. The delegation hosted the Nanjing-Florence Cultural Industry Exchange Conference and the 45th Anniversary Celebration of Nanjing-Florence Friendship at Palazzo Borghese.
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Distinguished guests in attendance included Yin Qi, Consul General of the Consulate General of China in Florence;Giovanni Bettarini, Florence City Government Councillor; Shi Yongjun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Nanjing Municipal Committee; Peng Zhengang, Executive Deputy Minister of the Nanjing Municipal Publicity Department and Director of the Nanjing Press and Publication Bureau (Copyright Bureau); Ye Rongsheng, Director of the Nanjing Bureau of Industry and Information Technology; Liu Yonghui, Director of the Nanjing Bureau of Commerce; Wang Dongning, Director of the Nanjing Investment Promotion Bureau; Corrado Galli, CEO of the Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center; Stefano U. Baldassarri, Director of the International Studies Institute Florence; Stefano Follesa, Italian Design Ambassador; Jacopo Celona, Executive Director of the Florence Biennale; Carlo D'Andrea,vice president of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China,and Carlo Fuortes, Superintendent of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre Foundation, among other representatives from political, business, and cultural circles in Nanjing and Florence.
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Zhou Hongbo, Member of the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Committee, delivered a speech
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Yin Qi, Consul General of the Consulate General of China in Florence, delivered a speech
Giovanni Bettarini, Councillor of the Municipality of Florence, delivered a speech
Peng Zhengang, Executive Deputy Minister of the Nanjing Municipal Publicity Department and Director of the Nanjing Press and Publication Bureau (Copyright Bureau), presented an overview of the development of Nanjing's cultural industry.
Claudio Nobler, President of the Florence Branch of the Italian Artisans and SMEs Association, introduced Italy’s design, craftsmanship, and high-end manufacturing industries.
Marco Trisciuoglio, Full Professor at the Department of Architecture and Design, Polytechnic University of Turin, with functions related to the Vice-Rector for Education, together with a distinguished professor from Southeast University, introduced collaborations between Nanjing and Italian universities in creative design, urban renewal, and cultural preservation.
Maurizio De Vita, Full Professor at the University of Florence's Department of Architecture (DiDA), specializing in Architectural Restoration and Landscape Heritage Conservation, presented practical case studies on the preservation of Florence’s historical city center.
Following the showcase of cooperative achievements in urban renewal and cultural heritage preservation between the two cities, representatives of enterprises from Nanjing and Florence signed various cooperation agreements.
Cai Mei, Director of Shizhuzhai Art Group, and Jacopo Celona, Executive Director of the Florence Biennale, signed a cooperation agreement. The Nanjing International Art Fair and the Florence Biennale will leverage this opportunity to establish mechanisms for exhibition collaboration, artist award systems, and artist incubation in the future.
Yang Qingjin, Party Secretary and Executive Director of Nanjing Performing Arts Group, signed an agreement with Carlo Fuortes, Superintendent of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre Foundation. The two sides will enhance artistic exchanges and practical cooperation through project introduction, international tours, reciprocal visits, academic exchanges, and talent cultivation.
Ms. Li Ludi, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Qinhuai District Committee, and Mr. Michele Taccetti, CEO of China 2000 S.r.l., signed a cooperation agreement. This collaboration aims to further promote the establishment of high-quality industrial projects in Qinhuai District.
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Ms. Yang Wenyu, Deputy General Manager of Nanjing Bojem Technology Co., Ltd., signed a cooperation agreement with Mr. Michele Taccetti, CEO of China 2000 S.r.l.. This partnership will faster the internationalization of Chinese jewelry brands.
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Mr. Ding Xiang, Founder of Nanjing 1913 National Theater, signed a cooperation agreement with Mr. Corrado Galli, CEO of the Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center. This agreement aims to introduce original plays from Nanjing’s National Theater to Italy.
Ms. Tan Yini, General Manager of Nanjing SENKNI Apparel Industrial Co., Ltd. signed an agreement with Mr. Corrado Galli, CEO of the Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center, to jointly establish a fashion and cultural exchange platform and other cooperative projects.
Meanwhile, the collaborative project “Shared Heritage, Shared World” between universities in Nanjing and Italy was officially launched during the conference. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Secretary Zhou Hongbo, Consul General Yin Qi, Mr. Giovanni Bettarini, and representatives from participating universities, including Associate Professor Andrea Innocenzo Volpe, the International Affairs Representative of the Department of Architecture at the University of Florence.
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The year 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy and the 45th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Nanjing and Florence. Over the past 45 years, the two cities have used culture as a bridge to continuously deepen cooperation in economic, trade, technology, and cultural fields. The successful hosting of this exchange conference has strengthened interactions in the cultural industry, further expanded cooperation between Nanjing and Florence in various fields, promoted the deep integration of culture and industry, and injected new momentum into China-Italy cooperation, opening a new chapter of closer, pragmatic, and mutually beneficial collaboration.