Confucius Institute
The Confucius institute has been settled in Macerata last October, 2011 as a meeting space between Chinese and Italian cultures.
21 July 2021
Villa Lauri. A platform for knowledge and collaboration in the name of Father Matteo Ricci
An international ceremony marked the inauguration of the new center for education and science at the University of Macerata. “Here will resound the voices of students, artists, entrepreneurs and scholars of two storied cultures, Italy and China.”
Villa Lauri is the new hub for cultural and scientific exchange with China, following in the footsteps of Father Matteo Ricci, the Jesuit priest from Macerata, who first bridged the gap with Asian giant in the sixteenth century to forge mutual understanding. This is the new calling for the historic building with a neoclassical look immersed in a park spanning ten acres and abandoned for over forty years.
The University of Maceratà was able to restore it to its original splendor in a mere 33 months. The restoration was financed through a contribution of four million euros from the University and an additional two million directly from China, from the then Confucius Institute Headquarters Hanban. The purpose was to create an appropriate home for the Institute, founded ten years ago by UniMc and the prestigious Beijing Normal University, and for the UniMc China Center, a multidisciplinary research and training center, focused in various areas related to China, as law, economics, politics, international business. The Institute was quickly elevated to the status of “European Model” and is the only one in Italy, besides the one at Sapienza University of Rome.
The inauguration of this new teaching and science facility of the University of Maceratà took place yesterday (20 July 2021). Presiding over the ribbon cutting ceremony were the rector FrancescoAdornato, the Counselor of Science and Education at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Italy, Sun Chengyong, the president of the Legislative Assembly of Marche, DinoLatini, and the mayor of Macerata, Sandro Parcaroli. Others in attendance included the president of the Province of Macerata, AntonioPettinari, the president of the Confucius Institute of Macerata, LuigiLacchè, the general director of the University, MauroGiustozzi, the director of theChina Center, FrancescaSpigarelli, and the directors of the Confucius Institute, GiorgioTrentin and Jia Xinqi. BishopNazzarenoMarconi blessed the facilities, with the hope that they can become “a home for knowledge and friendship.” The restoration project was handled entirely by the University’s Technical Department under the guidance of architectFrancescoAscenzi.
In his words of welcome, mayor Parcaroli underlined the importance of the collaboration between the two institutions in order to make Macerata more attractive and able to offer services and cultural initiatives at the national level. Afterward, the president of the Confucius Institute, Luigi Lacchè, charted the road that led to the rebirth of Villa Lauri.
“Here,” he said, “will resound the voices of students, artists, entrepreneurs and scholars of Italy and China, one of the oldest cultures in the world. In his first work in Chinese On Friendship, father Matteo Ricci writes: ‘The reasons for friendship are reciprocal need and mutual help.’ In these times of pandemic, these words ring even more loudly, and we continue to believe in them with the hope that this becomes the place of reciprocal collaboration and friendship that we dreamed it would be.”
The restoration project follows in the wake urban renewal, as rector Francesco Adornato underlined. “Villa Lauri and its park were once private property ravaged by time. Now they have become a public asset at the service of the University and the city of Macerata".
"We continue to work together in friendship and mutual respect to strengthen the dialogue between different peoples and cultures with the goal of contributing to the construction of a better future, harmony and peace.”
The Counselor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Italy, Sun Chengyong, delivered a letter of greetings from ambassador Li Junhua to the rector.
“The people of China and Italy have together written many immortal chapters on reciprocally sharing knowledge and ideas. Matteo Ricci, the famous messenger of communication born in Macerata, is one of the most excellent representatives of this. The new home of the Confucius Institute of Macerata is another cornerstone in strengthening the ties between our two countries. The Covid-19 pandemic did not weaken the interest of these two peoples in learning about our respective cultures. This year more than 3,000 Chinese students have come to Italy to study at your universities, and more than 20 thousand Italian students have enrolled at Confucius institutes. History has shown time and again that civilizations are full of vitality thanks to reciprocal exchanges and learning. This is the enduring source of friendship and common progress.”
Messages of greetings also arrived from Zhao Lingshan, the vice president and secretary general of the China International Education Foundation, which now coordinates the Confucius Institutes. Zhou Zuoyu, the vice president of the Beijing Normal University (UniMc’s partner), also sent his greetings. The evening was enriched by the musical accompaniment of the wind orchestra Insieme per gli altri directed by maestro Andrea Menichelli and a concert (promoted by Appassionata) by Jing Zhao, the premiere Chinese cellist of her generation.
The building was renovated in compliance with the latest earthquake building codes and boasts multimedia classrooms, a library, reading rooms, meeting rooms, 24 beds, common living areas, a kitchen, a laundry area and general facilities. The renovations were conducted by the temporary consortium of MEG Costruzioni S.r.l. and Salvatore Di Meo Costruzioni & Appalti S.r.l. The lighting for the facade was designed by iGuzzini illuminazioni.
The live broadcast of the ceremony