Italian embassy opens school in Beijing

(AGI) Beijing, Sept 7 - Courses began on Monday at the firstItalian school in the Far East, set up by the Italian embassyin Beijing. There was an opening ceremony at the school in thediplomatic residential compound of San Li Tun, in the centre ofthe Chinese capital, close to the Italian embassy. The schoolgrew out of a project by the embassy with the Italian Chamberof Commerce in China and coordinated by Mariassunta Peci. Theinstitute will be assisted by Reggio Children, an internationalcentre for the protection and promotion of the rights andpotential of boys and girls, founded in 1994 by LorisMalaguzzi. The school will have an infants' section andelementary courses began on Monday with the first year and willexpand in the next few years. The school will teach children ofthe Italian community with bilingual classes in Italian andEnglish and with a strong Chinese character. Ambassador EttoreFrancesco Sequi cut the ribbon and quoted an ancient Chineseproverb: "If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you areplanning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for alifetime, educate people." (AGI) . .