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'Tota Italia' exhibition officially opens the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism 2022 in Beijing
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‘Tota Italia’ exhibition officially opens the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism 2022 in Beijing

Categories: Culture and creativity -Archaeology and Heritage
The large exhibition, already hosted at the Scuderie del Quirinale, opens the official celebrations of the Italy-China Year.
Ambasciatore Ferrari
Ambasciatore Ferrari

On Sunday, 10 July, the exhibition ‘Tota Italia. At the origins of a Nation‘ was inaugurated at the National Museum of China in Beijing. Curated by the Director General of the Museums Massimo Osanna together with the Director of the National Roman Museum, Stéphane Verger, and organised by the Italian Ministry of Culture and the National Roman Museum in agreement with the Chinese authorities, the exhibition recounts the process of the Romanisation of the Italian peninsula, retracing, starting from the 4th century B.C., the stages that led to the great unification at the time of Augustus.

The enormous artistic value and historical and cultural importance of ‘Tota Italia’ make it the main event organised in the framework of the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism 2022, the realisation of which was also made possible thanks to the fundamental support of the Chinese authorities.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Huang Kunming, Politburo member and Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee with the rank of Vice Premier. On the Chinese side, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Hu Heping, the Director of the National Museum, Wang Chunfa, the Vice-Minister and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Li Qun, the Vice-Minister of Culture and General Coordinator of the Italy-China Cultural Forum, Zhang Xu, and the Vice-Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China, Sun Yeli, also attended.

During his speech, Minister Huang Kunming read out a message from the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, who stressed that Italy and China are two exceptional representatives of Western and Eastern civilisation respectively.

Italy was represented by the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini and Ambassador Luca Ferrari. Minister Franceschini took part in the inauguration with a video message, during which he read an address of greeting from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

Cooperation in the cultural sphere is a central aspect of the friendship between our countries. This is why, at a juncture still marked by the pandemic, the realisation of this initiative in Beijing, together with the many Italian cultural proposals throughout China, is a confirmation that bilateral relations rest on solid foundations, converging between two millenary civilisations, united by mediation skills, curiosity and mutual admiration.

said President Mattarella.

In his speech, Ambassador Ferrari emphasised the similarities that unite Italy and China on a cultural level, as the heirs of two civilisations that have contributed to the development of the entire world and boast an ancient tradition of friendship and dialogue. The Ambassador called the organisation of the Tota Italia exhibition ‘a masterpiece of cultural diplomacy’, adding that this event

also symbolically marks the common will to fully relaunch our cooperation, especially cultural exchanges, after the long pause imposed by the pandemic.

During the evening, a reception was held at Ambassador Ferrari’s residence, attended by representatives of the local authorities and the international community in China. The event provided an opportunity to promote Rome’s candidacy to host the World Expo 2030 before the Chinese authorities.

More information on:  iicpechino.esteri.it.

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