First time setting foot in China

Since March 26, a delegation of Italian officials and educators has been visiting Guangzhou, experiencing the city's cultural and technological advancements.

For many in the group, this was their first time setting foot in China.

Flavia Maraston, an official from Pordenone, shared her first impression: "Chinese people are very, very friendly. I love them. China is very big."

Lia Bazzanini, headmistress of the Carducci High School in Italy, was struck by the blend of modernity and tradition. "What we also didn't imagine was this modernity within an ancient land, an ancient nation, and an ancient culture, like Italy."

Deepening educational cooperation

The delegation began its visit to China on March 22, meeting schools and cultural organizations in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai to deepen cooperation.

Having met with different Chinese schools and established several relationships, more cooperation projects, such as student exchanges, are expected between the two nations.

During the visit, four sister-school relationships were established between Italian schools and schools in Guangzhou.

Nicoletta Marchetto, principal of the Institute of Villadose, called the trip "an amazing experience," as it allowed for the integration of Chinese and Italian educational methods.

Bazzanini emphasized that cultural exchange is vital for language learning, stating, "It will be a perfect opportunity for our students to meet China, not just to learn the language, but also to understand Chinese students and culture."

The visit also fostered sports collaboration. Vincenzo Drago, president of the Italian Wushu Kung-Fu Federation, met with the Guangdong Wushu Association and Guangzhou University to discuss partnerships in promoting Wushu globally, particularly in Italy.

Organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Padova, the trip underscored the importance of people-to-people exchanges.

"Education and cultural understanding are the most important basis," Yang Haibin, the institute's dean, said. "To enhance mutual understanding between countries and people, we cannot rely only on businesses."

A taste of Guangzhou's nightscape and technology

During the delegation's stay in Guangzhou, they took an evening boat tour along the Pearl River, the landmark river that flows through the city.

Seeing the modern city skyline on both sides, the members were amazed by the city's nightscape.

Many took out their phones to video call their families and friends back in Italy to share the view.

"Everything is a surprise," said Nicoletta Marchetto.

The delegation also visited the GAC Technology Museum, where many saw Chinese-made electric vehicles for the first time.

Bazzanini told GDToday that Italians are not yet accustomed to driving electric vehicles, as the country has a long and rich history with petrol vehicles. However, this visit changed their perspective.

Bazzanini noted, "I saw cars that can drive for 1,000 kilometers. It's a huge difference." She added that such technology is "projected for the future."
Franco Fioravanti, a councilor from Lendinara with decades of experience in car dealerships, was impressed by the innovation. "This is incredible. This is the future."

Padova's friendship with Guangzhou

Italy is one of the European countries with the most friendship city and friendly city relationships with Guangzhou. Notably, Guangzhou and Padova established a friendly city relationship in 2017.

Since then, the two cities have actively collaborated in urban innovation, higher education, environmental sustainability, and cultural heritage preservation.

Guangzhou University and the University of Padova have been partners for over a decade and jointly operate a Confucius Institute, which organized this latest visit of the Italian delegation.

Francesca Zeggio, Mayor of Lendinara, described the experience as "a wonderful impression." She expressed pride in getting to know China through its culture and the Confucius Institute.

The organizers believe that the visit set the foundation for stronger educational and cultural collaborations between the two nations.

Reporter: Xie Hongzhou

Cameramen: Pan Jiajun, Liang Zijian, Li Wu(intern)

Video: Pan Jiajun

Poster: Lai Meiya

Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James