In October 2025, the month-long World Peace Culture and Arts Festival concluded successfully. Zen master Venerable Shi Wuele led the Wuele Symphony Orchestra on a second peace tour across Europe, using art as a vessel to bridge cultures.
From the resonant collaboration with opera legend Plácido Domingo in Milan to the echoes of Eastern philosophy in the iconic theaters of Bologna, Troto, Follo, and Venice; from the cultural bridges built through melody to the mutual understanding and goodwill nurtured between hearts, each stop demonstrated art's power to transcend borders and civilizations. Particularly in Venice, the profound dialogue between Master Wuele and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee added a contemporary note on global peace and inclusivity to the tour.
Celestial music transcended mountains and seas, building bridges between hearts worldwide.
Under the starry Italian skies, every note served as an envoy of peace, every melody evoked gentle共鸣 across civilizations. Those moving moments have been captured in light and shadow, becoming the most brilliant chapters of the World Peace Culture and Arts Festival.
Meanwhile, Master Wuele’s peace journey resonated widely across political, academic, and cultural circles. He was invited to visit the European Commission, engaging in profound discussions on world peace and compassion, and warmly received by high-level officials. He also met with Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana and Veneto Region President Luca Zaia, opening new chapters in regional cultural cooperation and civilizational exchange.
Master Wuele visited the Pavarotti Foundation and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and appeared on RAI (Italian National Television) to discuss cultural mutual learning and the contemporary vitality of traditional Chinese culture. He presented the elegant beauty of China and the profound wisdom of the East to European audiences in a manner both gentle and firm. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting peace and fostering cross-cultural understanding, Master Wuele was awarded the 30th Premio Lunezia Special International Contribution Award of the Italian Republic—an honor symbolizing deep respect from both Eastern and Western civilizations for their shared values.
European media praised Master Wuele with high acclaim—
“The foremost Zen monk across Asia, Africa, and Europe,” “a sacred musician.”
In their words, he is not only a conductor but also a voice of our times, connecting souls and civilizations.
What is even more touching is that Master Wuele, nearly eighty years old, continues to journey across the world with the vigor and vision of youth. In an almost legendary manner, he measures the distances between civilizations with his steps, using music and culture to build bridges of mutual understanding between nations. In his clear conducting gestures lies the lifelong cultivation of an Eastern elder; in his gentle yet firm voice resides the timeless使命感 of a cultural envoy.
During the European golden autumn where art, culture, and peace converged, Master Wuele presented to the world not only music but also a broad-minded vision—
the spirit of an eighty-year-old, the aspirations of a twenty-year-old, and a lifetime of cultural commitment.
Together with the Wuele Symphony Orchestra, he composed a contemporary song of peace that connects East and West, bridges hearts, and belongs to our era.
