On 26th June 2014, “Conference on Cultural Diplomacy and Creative Industries in China and Italy” was co-held by China Public Diplomacy Association(CPDA), China International Cultural Association (CICA), Italian Priorita Cultura Associazione, and Embassy of Italy to China at 751D•PARK in Beijing. Above 200 people attended the conference including Li Zhaoxing, the President of CPDA, Liu Jianchao, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Francesco Rutelli, the former Prime-Minister of Italy and Chairman of Italian Priorita Cultura Associazione, Alberto Bradanini, the Ambassador of Italy to China, as well as officials from China and Italy, experts and scholars and representatives of enterprises and media. Lv Fengding, the Vice-President of CPDA, and Alberto Bradanini, the ambassador, delivered opening greetings, Gong Jianzhong, the Vice-President of CPDA, hosted the opening ceremony, and Song Ronghua, the Secretary- General of CPDA, and Giuseppe Rao, the Counsellor at Embassy of Italy, separately hosted two thematic discussions.
The success of the conference and spoke highly of Sino-Italian relationship. Mr. Li Zhaoxing creatively told own experience about visits for describing “China-Italy Cultural Exchange: Paragon of Dialogue between Civilisations”. Mr. Francesco Rutelli delivered a wonderful keynote speech about “China and Italy: Culture and Creativity as Strategic Tools for Cooperation and Grow” and saw the good relationship between China and Italy as cornerstone of peaceful human development. Furthermore, he thought creative industry could be an opportunity for promoting the relationship.
During the political and academic discussion, guests from two countries described their views on different standpoints. In two thematic discussions, enterprise representatives from two sides also gave out their individual and unique views. All of them agreed that cultural industries in China and Italy could be complementary and Chinese enterprises in creative industry should combine traditional element with modern design for forming own unique style.
During the period of the conference, the CPDA and the Italian Priorita Cultura Associazione signed a letter of intent for long-term cooperation in the area of cultural diplomacy and cultural originality.
After the conference, an extraordinary cultural dinner was arranged by the organizers.
