Out of the Box | 'Meeting my country's president in China'

Who: Elisa Faccani, Master’s Exchange in China Studies at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Experience: Meeting her country’s president – in China

Hi everyone, I’m an Italian master’s exchange student at XJTLU. My programme is China Studies and I’m here in China to better learn and practice my Chinese skills.

Elisa Faccani

Other Italian students and I were invited to Hangzhou on 10 November 2024 to meet the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, who was on a diplomatic visit to China in a year that marked the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death.

Among different stops during his one-week trip, the President visited Hangzhou, a city that appears in the famous explorer’s book commonly known as “The Travels of Marco Polo.” Visiting Hangzhou was a way to remember the important role Marco Polo had in the history of the relations between the two countries.

In Hangzhou, the President met with students, school associations, business groups like the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, and entrepreneurs. He was welcomed with the Italian national anthem, and singing it together with him was really emotional – it made us feel closer to Italy, even if we are far from home for our study experience abroad.

President Sergio Mattarella warmly greeted all the delegations of students, professors, and entrepreneurs present, exchanging kind wishes and expressing appreciation for the work carried out in China – a true calling card for Italy abroad

During the event, President Mattarella said very nice words about the Italian community in China. He said he appreciated their strong presence and their contribution to diplomacy. For us students, it was a moment of pride, because he also recognised the value of our work, our research, and the important role we may have in the future of relations between Italy and China. Before leaving, the President gave a special greeting to us students. He showed real trust in our generation, and it really felt like he was reminding us that the future of these two countries is also in our hands.

After the meeting, we watched the opera “Marco Polo,” performed by the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory of Venice together with the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. It was truly wonderful and emotional – from the music to the costumes. It made me feel even more connected with my country, and with Venice, the city where I’m doing my university studies.

It was a very unique and emotional day. Meeting the President of the Republic was already something very special, but meeting him here, in China, made everything even more meaningful. It reminded us how important our efforts are for the future of the connection between Italy and China.

By Elisa Faccani

Edited by Tamara Kaup

Photos courtesy of Elisa Faccani