The Alessandro Valignano Prize in Tokyo

Aug 26, 2012

The Alessandro Valignano Prize is assigned to Japanese artists that have received their academic training in Italy and that have later moved back to Japan

 

The Galileo Culture Planning (GCP) in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Culture (Tokyo), the Associazione Italia-Giappone (Rome) and the Art Valley-Forum Valignano (Milan), has decided to promote a new cultural event that will be held in Tokyo every year: the Alessandro Valignano Prize. The prize is entitled to the great Italian historical figure of Alessandro Valignano (1539 — 1606), a Jesuit missionary born in Chieti who helped supervise the introduction of Catholicism to the Far East, and especially to Japan.

Valignano, a great Italian Renaissance man, has been long considered “a bridge between the East and the West” and his figure and personality well express the spirit that lies behind this new event. The Alessandro Valignano Prize will be assigned, every year, to Japanese artists that have received their academic training in Italy and that have later moved back to Japan to inspire and forge a new generation of inspired artists.

The 2012 edition has been dedicated to the performing art and for it a great Japanese violinist has been selected: Asako Yoshikawa.
This extraordinary violinist spent numerous years in Italy studying and working with some of the greatest artists; later, on her return to Japan, she inspired a great number of young artists that nowadays have achieved international fame.

The main prize, consisting of a plate and a parchment with inscribed the prize‘s motivation, has been commissioned and offered by the Italian Institute of Culture in Tokyo and has been consigned by Italian authorities at the end of the recital.

Three more prizes has been offered to Asako Yoshikawa at the end of her recital: a precious Lamborghini wrist watch generously offered by Lamborghini Italia; a fashionable and elegant hand bag made of the best Italian leather by highly skilled leather craftsman from Abruzzo. The hand bag, offered by the Forum Valignano and produced under the brand name Valignano1582, is an homage to the legendary figure of Alessandro Valignano and is exclusively distributed in Japan by BeeBest Inc. Finally, from our Japanese sponsor BeeBest Inc, a selection of Health Supplement Products for one entire year. The evening has seen also the participation of two other great international artists: the Italian-born pianist Michele Innocenti and the Cuban-born violinist (and conductor) Andres Cardenes, true international star.
Finally, our personal thanks to the president of the BeeBest enterprise M.D.Ph.d. Ishikawa Yasuko that generously is supporting all activities of GCP and to Madam Mikimoto that graciously offered us the opportunity to perform at the Tomono Hall.

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