From 28th October until 3rd November, Asia Collections Network – Europe, in collaboration with CREOPS – Centre de Recherches sur l’Extrême Orient de Paris – SORBONNE and with the support of Culture Moves Europe, spent an intensive week-long programme of engaging, connecting, and learning with colleagues from France and building a stronger network of professionals in the field.

The week was enriched with not only an insightful workshop with papers about research, case studies, exhibitions, and collections of Asian materials in France, Portugal, Sweden, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia and Greece but also multiple visits, tours with curators and specialists working on Asian collections in such museums as the Musée du Louvre, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet and Musée D’Ennery, Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Musée Cernuschi, Maison de Victor Hugo, Musée de la Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Château de Fontainebleau, and MAD Paris.

A valuable dialogue was fostered between the academics and museums within Europe. Thank you to curators, museum professionals and scholars who welcomed us in their respected institutions, shared their knowledge and participated in fruitful discussions – curator Jean-Baptiste Clais from the Musée du Louvre; curator, exhibition commissioner and co-director of Asia Collections Network – Europe Arnaud François Bertrand; Lise Mész, in charge of the development of Villa Guimet, Research centre; curator Claire Déléry and curator Cristina Cramerotti from Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet; cultural officer Katia Thomas from Musée d’Ennery, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet; curator Julien Rousseau from Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac; curator Mael Bellec from Musée Cernuschi; director of heritage and collections Barbier Muriel from Château de Fontainebleau.

Thank you to our co-directors Iside Carbone and Arnaud François Bertrand , and especially our host and president of Asia Collections Network – Europe Antoine Gournay, for putting together such a wonderful programme. Thank you also to all the PhD students from Sorbonne Université for their support and involvement during the week.

We hope this was the first of many meetings, opening new perspectives and opportunities for future collaborations and the development of our network!

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