Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed his pleasure with the growing collaboration between China and Italy he has witnessed during his stay Beijing, including partnerships in space exploration and cultural heritage preservation.
Mattarella is in China for a state visit from November 7 to 12, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Reflecting on his previous visits, Mattarella praised the significant changes he has witnessed in China during an elusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday.
Mattarella expressed his admiration for the gift he received from Xi, which included a moon-shaped ornament featuring lunar soil from the Chang'e-5 mission and a research sample scooped from the Moon. For the Italian president, the gift represents the importance of advancing space cooperation between the two countries.
"The gift that President Xi Jinping presented to me was the lunar soil sample, which is truly a novelty. It symbolizes China's remarkable technological progress and indicates vast prospects for development beyond Earth, which we should explore together. We should work hand in hand to develop and utilize these opportunities, rather than pursuing the opposite path. This precious sample left a deep impression on me. We must jointly strengthen our cooperation in space exploration in the vast universe," he said.
During the visit, Xi and Mattarella viewed some of the 56 Chinese cultural relics that Italy had recently returned, including pottery ware made 4,800 years ago. Of the relics, 53 pieces belong to China's Majiayao culture, a Neolithic archaeological culture from the upper reaches of the Yellow River, dating back 4,000 to 5,000 years.
The return process was overseen by Italy's Carabinieri Art Squad, which is primarily responsible for combating art and antiquity-related crimes and generally protecting cultural property.
"We are very proud of the Caribinieri's efforts in seizing cultural artifacts from around the world and returning them to their countries of origin. These relics showcase the fascinating and rich art of ancient China, which is an important heritage. I am very pleased to see the cooperation between Italy and China in this field," said Mattarella.
Asked about his reference to a poem by Su Shi, a renowned Chinese poet of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), in his speech at Peking University on Saturday, Mattarella emphasized the shared rich cultural heritage between Italy and China.
"Both Italy and China boast rich cultural legacies, and we are poised to embrace a better future ahead. For me, this was an important and delightful experience. Seeing the students' focus and enthusiasm, what I said was not as important as the insights they gained," he said.
Italian president delighted in space, cultural cooperation with China
Italian president delighted in space, cultural cooperation with China
Italian president delighted in space, cultural cooperation with China
Photographer Yahya Barzaq, once celebrated for capturing Gaza's beauty, is now forced to document the heart-rending reality of death and destruction in war-torn Gaza.
The 35-year-old, who spent years capturing cherished memories of newborn babies, has seen his profession transformed by conflict.
"I chose to photograph newborns because I love photography, especially in Gaza, where no one specializes in this field. It was an opportunity for me to become the first person in Gaza to focus on newborn photography. I love beautiful things, and the people of Gaza love all things beautiful. They love children and enjoy capturing the beauty of life," said Barzaq.
Despite the challenges of working with babies who may not always cooperate, he said that the joy on parents' faces when they see the photos of their children provides him with the motivation to keep going.
Barzaq also ran his own studio in northern Gaza, equipped with all the gear specially designed for photographing children. However, the studio, once a vibrant space filled with soft blankets, delicate props and portraits of newborns, now testifies to the destruction wrought by Israeli military violence.
In October 2023, when the devastating conflict broke out in Gaza, Barzaq was forced to leave his home and studio and flee southward.
"I barely managed to bring my camera, my laptop and my photos. I wish I could protect all the children the same way I protected my photography equipment. After leaving Gaza, my home was destroyed, and my studio was partially damaged. The area is difficult to access. Almost every day, we hear news of children dying, some of whom I had photographed," he said.
One child who left a deep impression on Barzaq was Mohammad. His family had printed his photo taken by Barzaq on his shirt, and the baby died in the conflict, wearing the very shirt with his own photo on it.
"He was one and a half years old when the [Israeli] airstrike occurred. When we woke up at 06:30, we found ourselves buried under the rubble. I found my oldest son Kramm, but not Mohammad. Finally, we found Mohammad under two meters of rubble. After he was rescued, the first aider conducted an examination and found that he had already passed away from asphyxiation," said the little boy's father.
"He had fair skin and slightly yellow hair. His body was healthy and strong, with broad shoulders. His hair was curly, and he had very nice features. I always imagined that if he had grown up, he would have been incredibly handsome," said Mohammad's mother.
The photo album Barzaq created was also destroyed in the airstrike. Now, there are only a few photos left on the parents' phones, serving as a memento of their beloved son.
The weight of that reality was too much to bear, not just for the grieving parents, but for the photographer as well.
"For a long time, I didn't pick up my camera because it's a camera that had once captured beautiful scenes and the angelic smiles of children. And now it must document crimes, destruction, and the miserable life we are enduring. But when people see or hear about our life, it's hard for them to believe all of this. I feel it's my duty to convey this truth to the world—that life is extremely difficult for the children and for Gaza. They are suffering from atrocities, massacres, hunger, insecurity, and a lack of medical care," said Barzaq.
"Before the war, I thought my work was a pleasure. Now, photography has become a duty, not just a profession. I feel an obligation to show the world that children in Gaza are suffering a devastating blow. There is no place safe [in Gaza.] Pople can get hit by airstrikes in their cars, in their strollers,"said the photographer.
Barzaq himself was displaced multiple times by the war, witnessing firsthand how people's lives were shattered by relentless airstrikes.
The widening war is also taking its toll on Gaza's already crumbling economy, with prices of basic commodities soaring.
"I remember before the war, a kilo of avocado was only 6 new shekels (about 1.6 U.S. dollars). Now, it has risen to 35 new shekels (about 9.5 dollars). Before the war, we were used to buying it by the kilo, but now we can only buy them by the piece," said Barzaq.
Despite the repeated trauma, Barzaq refused to surrender to despair. He believed that "better days lie ahead."
It's a harsh truth for the photographer that the same lens that had once captured life's beauty was now a tool to document its fragility. But he had to show the world what was happening. He had to bear witness.
"We were once used to beauty and innocence, but now we see shattered bodies, and children running for their lives, looking for their (perhaps already deceased) parents—this is the reality we have to witness and document in this war," said Barzaq.
Photographer of newborns documents war's devastating reality in Gaza
