In a cultural exchange initiative, 38 students and teachers from Italy recently traveled to Hai'an, a county-level in Nantong, Jiangsu province, for an enriching journey.

During their visit, students and teachers from Padua, Italy explored various landmarks, including the Hai'an cultural and arts center, Hai'an Museum, and Hai'an Middle School.

At the Hai'an cultural and arts center, the Italian students were captivated by the displays showcasing intangible cultural heritage items. They stopped at each booth, taking photos and experiencing activities such as calligraphy, sachet-making, tie-dyeing, drumming, and dragon dancing.

At the national defense museum inside Hai'an Middle School's multimedia information center, the attention of Chinese-Italian student Jiang Haochen was drawn to a model of China's domestically produced large aircraft, the C919.

"This is the airplane I've seen in the news," exclaimed Jiang. Upon learning that the window glass of the C919 is provided by a Hai'an enterprise, Jiang expressed his surprise and pride, saying, "I feel the strength of my homeland and a sense of pride. The city's manufacturing industry is impressive!"

One Italian teacher expressed astonishment at the modernity of the schools in the city, saying, "The scale of the local schools is impressive. Throughout the week, we've engaged in many teaching activities with Hai'an teachers. I intend to take the experiences I've gained here back to Italy, integrating them into my teaching and work."

Italian students learn to play flower drums at a local school in Hai'an. [Photo/Nantong Daily]