Distinguished guests and friends:
Good morning everyone!
It’s my honor to be invited to attend the event of “The Light of Volta Illuminates the Silk”, and have a speech on the symposium. I would like to express my sincere thanks here. The theme of the event is that Como will start with silk as a starting point and apply for the UNESCO creative city. I have not worked on applying for the creative city in Hangzhou, but I can provide some material for Como's application.
This is my 9th trip to Italy, and 8th time to Como. On Nov. 12-13, I just visited Como with the delegation of International Silk Union (ISU) and visited the local silk companies and silk museums. In more than ten years, I have had many friends here. I also love Lake Como and praise Italian silk. I have actually become the messenger of exchanges and cooperation between Hangzhou silk and Como silk, Chinese silk and Italian silk.
1. Strive to build a bridge of exchanges and cooperation in Chinese-Italian silk.
In July, 2006, The US “Time” magazine published a long-form report titled “A Soft Spot For Silk”. The subtitle was “China makes the most---but no longer the best---silk. Here’s one man’s quest to recover his nation’s past glory”. In 2007, I was the manager-general of High Fashion (China) Co., Ltd. Under the decision of the chairman of the group, High Fashion invited 8 Italian silk experts to Hangzhou to help enhance the company’s printing and dyeing technology.
A few years ago, at the company of Ratti, I saw the long-lost Mr. Daniele Pachera. Now, he is the product director of Ratti, and responsible for the production of all the products in silk weaving, printing and dyeing. It was Mr. Pachera who accompanied seven Italian printing and dyeing technicians and spent more than four years to promote the level of printing and dyeing of Chinese silk to catch up with Italy. So when I saw Mr. Pachera again, my first sentence was: “Thank you for leaving printing and dyeing technology and management to China”. Ratti represents the highest level of Italian silk dyeing and printing, so, today's silk finishing technology in China is infinitely close to Italian level because of Mr. Pachera's teaching and dedication in High Fashion. Mr. Pachera promotes the harmony and integration of Hangzhou silk and Como silk. Last month, the photojournalist of “Jincheng Oriental” in Zhejiang Television Station interviewed him.
In Dec. 2012, on behalf of the Hangzhou Silk Association, I signed “Hangzhou China Como Italy Silk Promotion Alliance Cooperation Agreement” with Italian Silk Office.
Mr. Giuseppe Bianchi, during his tenure as president of the Italian Silk Office, actively explored international cooperation and established Hangzhou China • Como Italy Silk Promotion Alliance with Hangzhou in 2012. He was also the head of the European National Association who was the first to approve the establishment of the ISU in China. Mr. Giuseppe Bianchi was the vice chairman of the International Silk Association, and now he is the director of ISU Technical Innovation Professional Committee. I would like to sincerely thank him for his contribution to the harmonious and healthy development of the world silk industry.
In Apr. 2015, Mr. Hu Zhengyu, deputy secretary-general of Hangzhou Municipal Committee, and I together came to Como, Italy, once again to discuss the establishment of ISU with Mr. Giuseppe Bianchi, president of Italian Silk Office at that time, and got his approval and support. In Oct. 2015, led by Cathaya Group, ISU was successfully established in Hangzhou, China. Since the establishment of ISU in the past three years, the exchanges of the world silk industry have become closer and closer, and the partnership between Hangzhou and Como has become better and better.
In Nov. 2018, ISU Chairman Enlarged Meeting was successfully held in Como. More than 80 silk industry colleagues from China, Italy, France, Switzerland, Vietnam, Cambodia and Brazil gathered together to summarize the union’s work and jointly discuss the new development trends of world silk industry.
2. Fully promote the spread of Italian silk culture in China.
In 2013, I led the translation and published the monograph of Italian silk expert Chiara Buss. The Chinese title was “金红丝绸一一意大利伦巴第的奢华与挚爱”, and I wrote a preface for the monograph.
In 2016, I published “Silk Sentiment across the Century” on the Worldsilk Website. I used a lot of beautiful words on the beautiful Lake Como and two silk museums of Como, and also praised Hangzhou and Como, the two unique cities that are attached by silk. The self-media “Hangzhou Experience” belonging to Hangzhou City Brand Office was quickly reprinted.
In May 2017, I accompanied City to City section of China Central Television (CCTV) to shoot in Como. On Oct. 15, the same year, the film “City of Silk, Hangzhou China & Como Italy” was broadcast in CCTV4. In addition to promoting the silk of Hangzhou and Como, it also propagated the beautiful scenery and delicious food, culture and art of both cities, especially the beautiful Como lighting show. Como has been promoted to the world through CCTV. In Mar. 2018, “the Culture of Qiantang River” Magazine also published my signature article “Hangzhou and Como, Shake Hands for Silk”.
In May 2018, the filming team of three-episode documentary “Jincheng Oriental”, ISU is a supporter and I also participated in the planning, went to Como for filming. The third episode of the documentary focus on Como's excellent silk industry and silk culture. It will be broadcast on the International Channel of Zhejiang Television Station in late December. Before I left for Como, I have already seen the sample of “Jincheng Oriental”. I feel that this is a TV documentary that fully reflects the history, current and development direction of the world silk industry. It is of great spread value. When released, I will tell the broadcast time, I will also send the USB flash disk to the Italian Silk Office after the release.
In history, China is the starting point of the Silk Road, and Italy is the end point. Chinese silk and Italian silk have a long history. Today, Como and Hangzhou are still the two central cities where the world's silk is irreplaceable. The historical responsibility of silk inheritance lies on the shoulders of our two cities. So in the end, I suggest that Como should apply for the UNESCO creative city with silk as the main idea. It can be combined with Hangzhou. It can send a delegation to Hangzhou to exchange. Hangzhou will definitely support it. I can shout loudly: the cooperation between Hangzhou and Como is of great significance to the sustainable and healthy development of the world silk. Let us shake hands tightly, hug tightly, and continue to cheer.
Author: Mr. Fei Jianming
Secretary-general of International Silk Union
President of Hangzhou Silk Culture and Brand Research Center
Translator: Ms. Ma Jing
