Tibetan culture
Since its foundation, the institute has
always promoted activities and events meant to spread the knowledge of
the ancient heritage of Tibetan culture.
Exhibitions
The first exhibition on Tibetan civilization organized by the Shang
Shung Institute was held at the Castello Aldobrandesco of Arcidosso in
collaboration with local authorities in 1990, during the visit of his
Holiness the Dalai Lama.
In the following years many exhibitions have been organized, among which:
- The photographic exhibition of the journey of Fosco Maraini in Tibet
in 1937 and 1948, held in Palazzo Pitti in Florence in 1990 and in Milan
in 1999.
- The Institute collaborated with A.S.I.A. and the Foreign Affairs
Ministry to prepare an exhibition of an important collection of
thangkhas illustrating aspects of Tibetan medicine, all of which belong
to the institute; the exhibition was on from November 2000 to January
2001 at the Ethnological museum Pigorini in Rome. This collection is
unique in Europe and consists of faithful copies of the XVII century
originals conserved in the Lhasa Centre of Tibetan medicine. The same
exhibition called “ The Celestial Treasure” was organized in Milano at
the “Musei di Porta Romana” in December 2001.
- In February 2002 the Institute, in collaboration with the Museum of
Childhood of Siena organized an exhibition on Tibet primarily directed
to children: the main purpose of the event was to illustrate the
transition from traditions and life-style of nomads to urban settlements
and Chinese influence on Tibetan culture. Two important exhibitions on
Tibetan Art were organized in the old Church of St.Anna in Rome and then
at Castel dell ’Ovo in Naples with the support of the Ministry of
Culture in 2000 and 2001.
From 2000 to 2005 the institute has besides organized a long series of
lectures held by tibetologists, medical doctors, archeologists, art
experts on different topics concerning Tibetan culture in collaboration
with local authorities.