On April 1, 2025, the "Sichuan Rhapsody — Sino-Italian Art Exchange Journey" event was successfully held at the Sichuan University of Culture and Arts. Fifteen students from Italy's Piedmont region joined representatives from the conservatory's School of Music and Dance, SCUCA to co-create a modern poetic chapter of cultural exchange. This cultural and artistic exchange journey not only served as a strong implementation of the "Belt and Road" education action plan but also vividly embodied the Chinese philosophy of "harmony in diversity."

Artistic Exchange, Cultural Connections, Educational Mutual Learning

At the music complex on the Mianyang campus, Chinese and Italian students bridged time and space through music. They performed chamber and symphonic pieces, including classics by Chopin and Mendelssohn. Melodious piano notes intertwined with grand orchestral sounds, showcasing the mutual achievements in Sino-Italian music education. During the event, Italian students also engaged in engaged in impromptu exchanges with the conservatory's piano majors, discussing performance techniques and artistic expression.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Transmission: Preserving Chinese Memories

For the first time, Italian students picked up the three-foot long water sleeves and practiced spear techniques under the guidance of a Peking Opera instructor, this immersive cultural experience transcended mere skill instruction. The ritualized performance of Peking Opera was elevated into a perceptible symbol of Eastern aesthetics. After the experience, the Italian students remarked, "This form of embodied cultural transmission is more impactful than any theoretical explanation. I love Peking Opera! I love Chinese culture!"

After concluding their visit to the Mianyang campus, all faculty and students arrived at the Zitong campus at 6:00 PM. Led by bilingual tour guides, the delegation followed a route of "teaching building — artists' village — harp square — Wenchang Palace museums — university student innovation and entrepreneurship park" to explore the campus. The traditional architecture and modern art facilities impressed the Italian students, who praised the campus for "combining Eastern philosophy with contemporary creativity."

Time Capsule Initiative: Planting a Pact for the Future

The most meaningful "time capsule" ceremony took place at the university student innovation and entrepreneurship park. Students from both sides sealed letters that were filled with blessings and wishes into acrylic capsules, to be reopened in five years. Alice D’Amasio, an Italian student, wrote in her letter, "May the musical seeds planted today bloom into a symphony that transcends borders in the future." Tang Jin, dean of the School of Music and Dance,SCUCA said, "This is not just a commemorative ceremony, but a commitment to fostering mutual learning among civilizations for the future."

Harmony in Diversity, Unity in Coexistence

In the evening, a Sino-Italian student exchange concert was held at the Wenchang Theatre of Sichuan University of Culture and Arts. Ludovica Contento, an Italian piano major, performed Chopin's Mazurka, showcasing European Romanticism. Chinese students responded with a pipa duet Give Me a Rose and a guzheng ensemble The March of the Elephant King, highlighting traditional Chinese culture. The concert concluded with Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words, performed by Italian student Keen Scoton, whose poetic piano playing brought the event to a perfect close.

After the concert, Sichuan University of Culture and Arts presented Italian students with specially designed cultural and creative gifts. This event, deeply aligned with the Global Civilization Initiative, innovatively constructed an international aesthetic education exchange system: mutual learning through music, decoding cultural genes in intangible heritage, and nurturing future visions in time capsules. It fully demonstrated the university's openness and innovation.

The event deepened Sino-Italian art education cooperation and built a bridge of mutual understanding between the youth of the two countries through cultural resonance. As the theme "Sichuan Rhapsody" suggests, this cross-continental encounter will inspire more beautiful future collaborations. It marks an important step for Sichuan University of Culture and Arts in internationalization, offering a model for cultural institutions for telling Chinese stories and promoting civilizational dialogue in the new era.