On January 28, 2025, the second event of the special program organized by the Istituto Italo Cinese on the occasion of Chinese New Year 2025 was held at the Library of Palazzo Isimbardi, headquarters of the Metropolitan City of Milan.
After a warm welcome from the Library’s Director, Giorgio Grandesso, the meeting was opened with institutional greetings from the President of the Istituto Italo Cinese, Maria Rosa Azzolina, Professor of the University of Milan Clara Bulfoni, Alessandro Coscia of Pinacoteca di Brera and Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense di Brera, and President of the Zhejiang University Ex-Alumni Association Cai Maosheng.
The event involved the presentation of two books in Chinese in the presence of the authors:
- Aesthetics, Science and Faith: 400 Years of the Exploration of the Ambrosian Library by Monsignor Pier Francesco Fumagalli, Doctor Emeritus of the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana
- Calligraphic and Pictorial Dream by Zhou Jianhuang, President of the Artistic Association of Chinese Poetry, Calligraphy and Painting in Italy
The authors presented their works to the audience and shared their motivations for creating them, offering insights into the relationship between Western and Eastern culture.
In addition to the presentation of books, this meeting marked a significant milestone for Milan’s library heritage: the inauguration of the new Section dedicated to Chinese Studies in the Library of Palazzo Isimbardi. The creation of this area, made possible thanks to donations from the Istituto Italo Cinese, represents an important step in expanding access to knowledge of Chinese culture and literature in Italy.
The event was further evidence of the Istituto Italo Cinese’s commitment to building bridges between two millennia-old cultures, enhancing the power of books and knowledge as tools for dialogue and mutual understanding. Through the dissemination of knowledge, literature and the arts, the Institute continues to promote an increasingly strong link between Italy and China, demonstrating how culture can be a fundamental means of bringing peoples and traditions closer together.
Thanks are expressed for the Patronage provided by:
- the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Milan
- the Metropolitan City of Milan
- the Municipality of Milan
- the National Bureau of Chinese Tourism.
In addition, thanks to the Chinese associations in Milan that supported the initiative:
- the Milan Central Association of Overseas Chinese
- the Association of Chinese Women in Milan
- the Association of Chinese Women in Lombardy
- the Zhejiang University Ex-Alumni Association
- the Tsinghua University Ex-Alumni Association
- the Artistic Association of Chinese Poetry Calligraphy and Painting in Italy.
