In September 2015, soon after the new semester began, the officials of the Italian and Japanese Consulates- General in Shanghai paid visits to the Shanghai Theatre Academy respectively to discuss cooperation, exchange and related matters.
On 9 September, Alberto Manai, Head of Cultural Section, Italian Consulate-General in Shanghai, together with Adele Lobasso, Project Officer, called on STA. On 15 September, cultural officials of the Japanese Consulate-General in Shanghai, came to discuss cooperation matters. Gong Baorong, STA Vice President, and relevant officials of STA International Exchange Centre received the guests from the two consular missions.
The cooperation between STA and theatrical troupes and educational institutions has become more frequent in the recent years, especially the cooperation with Piccolo which has been ongoing for ten years. The newly arrived head of cultural section of the Italian Consulate-General expressed the desire to further promote the cooperation between Shanghai and the cultural organizations in Italy. He commented that STA is an important base and cradle for culture and art in Shanghai and he would work actively to further enhancing the bridging role of the consulate to connect the two sides. The head of cultural section of the Japanese Consulate-General came with proposed exchange projects and offered to provide STA students with lectures and workshops featuring the Japanese traditional art. Vice President Gong Baorong expressed his full support to the desire for further strengthened relationship and cooperation expressed by the officials of the two consulates and undertook to increase the engagement with the foreign consular missions in future activities of STA.
