Between November 21 and December 22, 2024, Monsignor Pier Francesco Fumagalli, a member of the Steering Committee of the Istituto Italo Cinese, held a second round of lectures and conferences in China at some of the country’s most prestigious universities, gaining great interest from students and academics.
During this trip, Mons. Fumagalli visited nine cities, widening the extent of his activities compared to the first tour last May. The universities that hosted the meetings included such distinguished institutions as Ocean University of China in Qingdao, Shandong University in Jinan, Northwest University in Xi’an, Nankai University in Tianjin, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, Shanghai Normal University and Fuzhou University.
The central theme of the meetings was the figure of Marco Polo, commemorated this year on the 700th anniversary of his death. The lectures particularly delved into the manuscripts of his famous work “Il Milione”, preserved at the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, arousing strong interest in the cultural legacy left by the Venetian traveler. Alongside this central theme, topics of great relevance to contemporary cultural dialogue were addressed, including the relationship between Chinese and Italian civilizations, the concept of a “new Renaissance” in the global context and the mutual influence between East and West in the construction of modern civilization.
During his numerous stops, Mons. Fumagalli also met with several leading representatives of Chinese governmental and cultural institutions, including Professor Xiu Bin, Director of the International Center of Sinology, with whom he discussed major issues related to culture and the importance of the exchange of ideas and knowledge between different traditions.
These meetings turned out to be a valuable opportunity to explore topics of great cultural and historical relevance, fostering the spread of knowledge and appreciation of the shared heritage between East and West. The lectures and conferences helped not only to stimulate dialogue between students and scholars from various departments, but also to strengthen the role of culture as a bridge capable of uniting different worlds, promoting ever-deepening mutual understanding.
