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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 5th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2002> A dancing life- Fr.Gian Carlo Michelini
Teaching the children with dance and helping Taiwan go out with arts
      Fr.Gian Carlo Michelini, male, born in 1935 in Italy, making great contributions and achievements to Taiwan’s arts promotion and international cultural exchange. He was awarded first-level medal of international communication, Chinese culture& arts legacy prize and literature prize. Now, he is leader of Lanyang Dance Troupe, general secretary of Folklore Festival Association of ROC and director of The Lan Yang Youth Catholic Center.
      In 1966, 29-years old Italian Fr. Michelini came to Taiwan accompanying Camillians. Unlike his colleagues, he was immersed in various arts and dance activities--“helping every child is to relieve the burden of the society.“ In the past 40 years, this world-reputed troupe presented unforgettable performances around the world.
      Fr. Michelini was eager to visit the eastern world from his childhood; he joined Camillians at 19 years-old, and applied for missionary work in Taiwan. In 1964, he came to Taiwan via Egypt, India, Indonesia, Singapore and HK. He created an art miracle in Taiwan--“Lanyang Dance Troupe”, which visited 31 counties in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, and staged over 1000 performances.
      Fr. Michelini regarded Taiwan as his hometown, saying that: “Taiwan must go out and flourish her culture.” To promote international arts& culture exchange, he attended international meetings from 1990. In 1994, C.I.O.F.F. (C.I.O.F.F. Chinese Taipei) successfully became one of grade A 89 members of UNESCO, marking the first step for Taiwan culture to strive for international exchange. As a general secretary of C.I.O.F.F., he recommended over 1 dozen art groups every year to stage arts performance in 89 member countries.
      Besides, over 50 foreign arts groups were invited every year to Taiwan starting from 1996, thus providing an opportunity to make foreign countries learn more about Taiwan, and more importantly, let Taiwan go out. So, it makes possible to introduce foreign cultures to Taiwan, and also establish substantial international cultural exchange. Fr. Michelini’s great expectation is to build “Lanyang International Arts University”--flourishing Taiwan arts across the world.