The project VersOriente was born on the own initiative of a group of scholars, with the target to develop and promote Asian culture and tradition through a deep investigation and an attentive critical study. The cultural centre "VersOriente" was born in May 2004. Together with their increasing pursuits and promoted events, in 2006 VersOriente's founders gave birth to Versoriente Ltd., located in the heart of Rome, 17 Cellini Alley (Vittorio Emanuele II Rd. - Campo dei Fiori), aimed to flank and assist the Cultural Association.
Unicum in Italy, VersOriente deals all-accomplishing with everything linked to Asia, availing itself of professional consultants.
First it is the academic world to be focused in, through research, didactics, information, training and happenings. The website www.versoriente.net collects everyday's news, articles and researches concerning Asian countries and culture.
WHAT VERSORIENTE PROVIDES:
Services, travel, interpreting and translation agency;
Events organizer;
Cultural mediator;
Art gallery;
Furniture retailer and gift shop;
School specialized in Chinese, Japanese and English language, Ikebana (ancient Japanese art of floral composition), Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), Manga comics, Asian art, culture and philosophy
It can boast the partnership of Professors belonging to Rome universities as "Sapienza", Roma3 and other Italian and foreign athenaeums, besides having Rome Municipality, Latium, Abruzzi and Tuscany Provinces sponsorship, and it works in collaboration with Asian Embassies as Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Indian, Vietnamese, Thai and Filipino ones. It also cohoperates with the Japan Foundation (Japanese Institute for Culture).
VersOriente's cultural centre participates to the project ADAIR (Rome Artists and Cultural Innovators Association), gathering activities such as associations, artistic laboratories, galleries and libraries operative in the field of cultural promotion.
SCIENTIFIC BOARD:
The founders of the Cultural Centre VersOriente are:
Marco Meccarelli, President. Orientalist, expert of “Eastern Asian Archaeology, Art History and Philosophy” at Rome University “Sapienza”;
Arianna Di Pietro, Orientalist specialized in Japanese archaeology and art history.
Caterina Brunelli, Archaeologist specialized in Far and Southeast Asian archaeology and art history;
Agnese Rollo, Orientalist specialized in Indian Culture and Chinese traditional medicine;
Mariadele Scotto di Cesare, Sinologist specialized in Chinese philology. Our correspondant from Beijing;
The scientific board places at everyone’s disposal, not only its own acquired experience and skill, but also a thick network of partnership and contacts in the frame of differentIinternational realities.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Mariadele Scotto di Cesare and Laura Simei, interpreters and contributors to Italian magazines in China. Because of their long-term presence in Beijing, they both acquired a deep knowledge of Chinese culture and society creating a thick network of contacts and relationship;
Caterina Brunelli, archaeologist involved with UNESCO in the excavations and conservation of two World Heritage sites: Wat Phu Monumental Complex (Lao PDR) and My Son Holy Land (Vietnam).
INTERPRETING SERVICE
Fabio Mango, Mariadele Scotto di Cesare, Caterina Brunelli and Agnese Rollo
