2024 May 2

The Florence International Crafts Fair (FICCI), in collaboration with the Shanghai SME Development Service Centre, Shanghai Creative City Technology Development Co. Ltd. and the Tuscan Arts and Crafts Union, organised a gala dinner for economic and cultural exchanges. The event attracted many important guests from China and Italy and became an important platform to deepen the business and cultural ties between the two countries.

The dinner was held at Palazzo Borghese in the centre of Florence and was preceded by an opening speech by Wang Leyi, Head of the Shanghai SME Delegation. Afterwards, Enrico Conti, President of the Commission for Economic Development and Business Activities of the City of Florence, delivered a speech on behalf of the City of Florence, expressing a strong commitment to the strengthening of Sino-Italian co-operation. The Acting Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Florence, Guan Zhongqi, also delivered a speech, emphasising the importance and far-reaching significance of the cooperation between the two countries in many fields.

In addition, Laura Sparavigna, President of the Commission for Employment and Training of the Municipality of Florence, Luca Tonini, President of the Confederation of Handicrafts and SMEs of the Tuscany Region, Cioni Giacomo, President of the Confederation of Handicrafts and SMEs of Florence, and Luca Rebellato, Mayor of the City of Novi, were among the important Italian guests who also participated in the dinner. A delegation of Shanghai SMEs and representatives of cultural industries from the Yangtze River Delta region attended the event.