WENG SHIHUI: "Harmony" concept at cultural forefront

When thinking about Italy, key words such as "Michelangelo'', "opera'', "fashion'' and "cathedral'' to name but a few, come to mind.

"Those words speak for Italy themselves'', said Paolo Sabbatini, the colorful director of the Italian Culture Center.

After 23 years of working as an official at the United Nations, Sabbatini decided to switch to the cultural section of the Italian Foreign Service and came to Shanghai in February.

"I was sent to China to deal with Italian promotion of Italian culture, especially this year as it is the `Year of Italy in China,''' he said. "I was trusted to do this very challenging task to help with the organization of lots of events taking place in China, particularly during the Italian year.''

As the "melting pot of the ancient world'' Italy offers a fascinating fusion of art and architecture that was influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, French and Spanish.

Sabbatini said he and his team would endeavor to promote an image of Italy that depicts "harmony which balances economy and culture in a mixed manner.''

The concept of "harmony'' was invented in Italy and was first used in the country during the Renaissance period of the 14th to 17th centuries.

Legendary artists Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael all depicted harmony in their various masterpieces.

"The world exists in Latin. However, it is the great masters of the Italian Renaissance who applied this word to life under the theme of life should be harmony'', Sabbatini said. "Hence, Italian culture is a culture of harmony which means that life is a result of many things together. We should beautifully combine them to create harmony.'' Sabbatini said the harmony concept is very similar to Chinese traditions. Centuries ago, Chinese intellectuals thought of the ``five beauties'' which stands for beauty of speech, clothing, writing, singing and surrounding. By coincidence, the lifestyle concept is similar in China and Italy.

The opera-singing diplomat called ``the love for beauty'' another similar trait between the two countries.

``China is a vast country in the East and despite our differences in size, we both share a pivotal role in regional history and 5,000 years of human civilization,'' he said. ``Italy is accustomed to giving lots of respect to culture. The real values of life are culture and essence rather than materialistic things.''

In September, an agreement on creating a Sino-Italian University will be signed to promote education exchange between the two countries. Universities involve in the program are Fudan and Tongji from China, and Bocconi of Milan, Technical University of Milan and Technical University of Torino.

The Year of Italy in China 2006 was launched on January 19 as a cultural celebration highlighting Italian art, music and design. Dozens of events have been, or will be staged in many Chinese cities, including Shanghai and nearby Suzhou, in the form of film, drama, dance, music, exhibitions and forums.

An upcoming exhibition at MoCA Shanghai features contemporary art and industrial design under the theme of ``Italy Made in Art.''

Starting today, the exhibition focuses on the country's lifestyle, including paintings and objects designed by Italian artists. Exhibits will be harmoniously put together to showcase the daily life of Italians.

Also scheduled is the ``Next Energy'' international conference to be held in the city from September to October.

The ``VIP'' conference will be structured as an exhibition or convention. Its main theme is sustainability, analyzed through relevant themes, such as the use of renewable energy sources, the use of alternative energy sources and the development of new fuels.

As Sabbatini comes from a country where art and cultural heritage is heavily safeguarded by legislation, he pointed out the importance of protecting buildings of historical interest in the process of modernization.

``Italy is the pioneer in the restoration of old buildings. This forum serves as a platform for our two countries to exchange experiences in the related areas.'' Performances by Italian and Chinese artists organized by the Alkeos Association, in collaboration with the City of Milan, will also grace the city in late September.

Zhang Feng, a leading baritone with the Shanghai Opera, is described as a cultural ambassador by Sabbatini.

``We sing operas together during my stay here. He is very much in love with Italy now after getting acquainted with me.''

Zhang will perform Puccini's Tosca in Italy this September, a gesture, Sabbatini says, that he wants become like an Italian.

``This is maybe the biggest cultural achievement I have had in my three months here. He (Zhang) is the best representative of cultural exchange between Italy and China.''