From Gaza to Rome: Two Palestinian Students Begin a New Life at Tor Vergata
Two young Palestinians, Saja and Fawzy, have arrived in Rome to begin their studies at Tor Vergata University — the first students welcomed through the IUPALS project, offering education and hope beyond the shadow of war.
On the evening of October 23rd, 2025, a small military plane landed quietly at Ciampino Airport. Among its few passengers were Saja, 20, and Fawzy, 23 — two young Palestinians carrying little more than luggage, paperwork, and a fragile hope for the future.
They were met on the runway by Rector Nathan Levialdi Ghiron and Bianca Sulpasso, Tor Vergata's Delegate for Internationalisation — an embrace of welcome after a journey that was far more than just miles.
Saja will soon begin her studies in Tourism Sciences, specialising in Innovation Tourism for Made in Italy, while Fawzy joins the Master's in Business Administration. Both were selected after a meticulous review of their academic backgrounds — and both are the first to arrive under the IUPALS (Italian Universities for Palestinian Students) programme, an initiative coordinated by the CRUI in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem. Four more students are expected in the coming weeks.
For Rector Levialdi Ghiron, this arrival marks more than an academic exchange.
“Welcoming Palestinian students means not only taking them out of war zones,” he said, visibly emotional, “but helping them start again — giving them a chance to imagine a future. Education can be a bridge, a language of peace. From universities like ours, hope can begin to take shape — even when the world makes it seem impossible.”
Earlier this month, on October 13th, Tor Vergata's Academic Senate unanimously approved a motion for peace in Gaza, committing to expand the number of scholarships beyond the initial six. The university is now seeking additional funding to ensure that every eligible Palestinian student who applied for the 2025/2026 IUPALS call will have the opportunity to study in Rome.
In a gesture that extends beyond education, the Tor Vergata University Hospital, in partnership with the Lazio Region, will also provide medical treatment to patients from Gaza, reaffirming the institution's role as both an academic and humanitarian beacon.
For Saja and Fawzy, their arrival marks a turning point — the first step from survival toward self-determination. And for Tor Vergata, it's a reminder that in a world fractured by conflict, sometimes a classroom can be the most powerful act of resistance.
Story by the Tor Vergata University Press Office