On July 12, the first meeting between China Port Museum and Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migrations Museums of Genoa was held, and the Agreement on friendship and co-construction of museums was signed. The two sides said that they will further carry out in-depth exchanges and co-operation in the fields of display and exhibition, collection management, academic research and cultural creation development.
The following persons attended the meeting: Francesco D’Arelli, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai (Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai); Barbara Grosso, Councillor delegated by the Mayor of the Municipality of Genoa on International Relations and “Cultural Policies and Enhancement of the Artistic and Cultural Heritage of the City”; Gloria Piaggio, Director of Cultural Policies of Genoa City Council; Nicoletta Viziano, President of Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migration Museums; Pierangelo Campodonico, Director of Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migration Museums; Kejun Ye, Director of International Cooperation Division (European and African Affairs) of Ningbo Foreign Affairs Office; Yiren Li, Director of the Museum Division of Ningbo Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau; Jiehua Wang, Director of National Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection Ningbo Base and Director of Ningbo Cultural Heritage Management Institute; Jianping Cai, Director of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Beilun District; Yi Feng, Curator of China Port Museum.
▲Francesco D’Arelli, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai (Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai)
▲Gloria Piaggio, Director of Cultural Policies of Genoa City Council
▲Nicoletta Viziano, President of Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migrations Museums
The director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai (Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai), Francesco D’Arelli said, “Ningbo and Genoa respectively have rich port resources and long histories of maritime civilizations. The museums of the two sides are expected to become important windows for China-Italy civilization dialogue. Starting from the cooperation of museums, we have promoted the exchanges and cooperation between Ningbo and Genoa to a new level, so that the people can understand the richness of each other's cultures, see the unique features of each other's civilizations from a new perspective, further enhance the friendship and exchanges between the two peoples, enhance the mutual understanding and promote the friendly relations between China and Italy”.
▲Two museums sign a friendly museum co construction agreement
Genoa, Italy's largest commercial port and important industrial center, is known as the “European Capital of Culture”. It is also one of the most important cradles of maritime and migrant culture in Italy and the Mediterranean region of Europe with important collections on Marine and migrant topics. The director of Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migrations Museums, Pierangelo Campodonico said, “All museums are big cultural factories to experience the historical traditions of the past for interpreting the present and future of mankind, and to further interpret the relationship among the individuals, as well as the relationship between the people and the ocean through the exchanges of cultural museums. It is hoped that the personnel, exhibition and academic exchanges can be truly realized, and mutual visits and trust between the people of China and Italy can be strengthened through the signature this time”.
▲Pierangelo Campodonico, Director of Mu.MA-Institution of Sea and Migrations Museums
As promoter and witness of the meeting between the two museums, Inkred played an important bridging role. Ningbo and Genoa have similar historical footprints and important positions in the development of the world's maritime civilisation and port culture, as well as both sharing the similar concept of interpreting the relationship between sea and humanities. Dialogues between different civilizations are always the important path to reach the heart. This is a two-way journey across mountains and sea, after six months, finally we successfully built the bridge of friendship between the two parties. We at Inkred firmly believe that this is only the beginning of a long journey of collaboration and friendship all projected into the future.