Sculpture of Yuan Longping, father of hybrid rice, unveiled in Florence academy

A sculpture of Yuan Longping, the renowned Chinese scientist known as the "father of hybrid rice," was unveiled on Thursday at the Georgofili Academy in Florence, Italy. The work was created and donated by Wu Weishan, director of the National Art Museum of China.

The donation marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, highlighting the two countries' cooperation in science and art.

"Everyone in agricultural science knows Yuan Longping," said Massimo Vincenzini, president of the Georgofili Academy. "He was an outstanding scientist who made a profound impact in the global fight against hunger."

Chinese Consul General in Florence Yin Qi said the event symbolized cross-cultural dialogue, coinciding with the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.

In a video message, sculptor Wu Weishan expressed hope that the artwork would inspire deeper exchanges between civilizations.

Born in 1930, Yuan succeeded in cultivating the world's first high-yield hybrid rice strain in 1973, which was later grown on a large scale in China and other countries to substantially raise output. He passed away at the age of 91.

The sculpture will be permanently housed at the Georgofili Academy, one of the world's oldest agricultural research institutions, founded in 1753.