Young voices celebrate Italian poetry in Greater Bay Area competition

The first Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area “Sound of Elegance” Italian Poetry Recitation Competition concluded in Hong Kong on Saturday, bringing together 71 participants aged four to 16 to celebrate Italian language, poetry and cross-cultural exchange.

Guests pose for a group photo at the award ceremony. Photos courtesy of GuWei Museum

Organized by Hong Kong’s GuWei Museum, the competition received support from the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, the Sapientia Foundation and Scuola Manzoni. Participants from across the Greater Bay Area competed in three age categories: preschool, primary school and secondary school, with first-, second- and third-place awards presented in each group.

Trophies and medals are display at the award ceremony.

The event used poetry recitation to introduce young participants to the musicality and expressive qualities of Italian. For children from Chinese-Italian families, it offered an opportunity to connect with their cultural heritage, while other students used the competition to explore a new language and broaden their international perspectives.

According to the organizer, language can serve as more than a means of communication, offering a gateway to art, history and everyday aesthetics. Through recitation, participants interpreted Italian poems in their own ways, demonstrating how language can connect different cultural traditions.

Francesco Paolo Cannito, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao, gives a speech at the award ceremony.

Francesco Paolo Cannito, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao, attended the final and award ceremony, joining students, parents and guests in celebrating the role of language in cultural exchange.

The competition also highlighted poetry recitation as a way to encourage early language learning. By combining words, rhythm and performance, poetry can help children develop an appreciation of another language and culture while building confidence in public expression.

Francesco Paolo Cannito presents the first prize in the secondary school division.

GuWei Museum said it hopes to organize further cultural activities across the Greater Bay Area, continuing to create opportunities for younger generations to engage with different languages and artistic traditions.