In the context of the Chinese president’s recent visit to Italy, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the China-Italy Charity Forum was signed on the 23rd of March. It is the only philanthropic project among the nineteen collaborative programs signed between the two countries, and signals a definite step up in the level of collaboration between the two countries in the field of philanthropy. Sergio Mattarella, the Italian president, gave a speech at the state banquet on the evening of March 22nd, proclaiming that the charity forum represents the enthusiasm for cooperation of both countries.
The “Eastern and Western Leaders Summit” of the China-Italy Charity Forum was also held in the Lincean Academy, Rome, on the 22nd. More than thirty authorities in politics, philanthropy, business, arts and academia were invited to the forum, discussing opprotunities and challenges for cooperation on charity innovation (talents training, technological innovation, climate change), human welfare (children’s education, poverty alleviation, medicine and health), culture and the arts. The summit was proclaimed to be a great success, and officially initiated an alliance in which philanthropists from China and Italy will make joint efforts in environmental protection, intangible cultural heritage protection, and family philanthropy.
