From Gaza to Rome: Students begin new chapter at Sapienza University

By Antonella Palermo and Linda Bordoni

For the 72 students from the Gaza Strip, who arrived in Rome this week to continue their studies, this is a new chapter that marks not only the beginning of an academic journey, but also the possibility of rebuilding a future interrupted by war.

Nada Jouda and Salem Abumustafa are among the four enrolled at the Sapienza University of Rome through the humanitarian and educational initiative promoted jointly by the University, the Diocese of Rome and the Community of Sant’Egidio.

Their adventure began with a bang: they were there to greet Pope Leo XIV as he visited the institution, upheld its mission to educate our future leaders, shaping them to become artisans of peace. During his discourse to the Sapienza community, he also expressed his appreciation for the agreement to open a university humanitarian corridor from the Gaza Strip.

The agreement, signed in February, aims to offer young Palestinians affected by the war in Gaza the possibility of continuing their university education in Italy through scholarships, accommodation and integration programmes.

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As Pope Leo encouraged the academic community to make universities places of encounter, dialogue and peacebuilding, the presence of the students from the Gaza Strip was a poignant testimony of the need to invest in study and research, affirming – in his words – ”a radical ‘yes’ to life! To innocent life, to young life, to the life of people who cry out for peace and justice!”

Nada, Salem and their two companions at Sapienza, are set to attend English-language degree programmes for this 2025–2026 academic year. The university has allocated scholarships for all Palestinian students admitted through the dedicated programme and will accompany them throughout their studies with academic tutoring, orientation services, healthcare assistance and psychological support, including access to the university counselling centre.

On its part, the Diocese of Rome will host the students free of charge in university residences from their arrival in Italy until March 2029, with the possibility of extending accommodation for an additional year while they complete their theses. And through the university chaplaincy, it will also support their social integration and participation in extracurricular activities.

Meanwhile, the Community of Sant’Egidio will offer Italian language and culture courses as part of its programme that builds on the humanitarian corridors promoted by Sant’Egidio since 2016, which have allowed thousands of refugees to arrive safely in Italy.

Nada’s story

Speaking to Vatican News, nineteen-year-old Nada Jouda recalled how the war abruptly interrupted her education.

“When the war started, I was 17 years old and in my senior year,” she said. “I remember that on 7 October I was supposed to have a history test. After that, we did not go to school for almost two years.”

Originally from Rafah, Nada described the repeated displacements her family endured throughout the conflict. After the death of her father in 2023, she, her mother and her two younger sisters were left to face the hardships of war alone.

“We were struggling very much because we were a small family and had nobody to rely on,” she explained. Her mother, formerly a kindergarten director, lost her work after the outbreak of the war.

Nada said she carried her schoolbooks with her during every displacement, trying to continue studying despite the instability surrounding her. Her family first sought refuge in makeshift tents after the Israeli military entered Rafah.

“There was very little water to drink, and food prices were extremely high,” she recalled. Later, they moved to Khan Younis, where they lived in a house damaged during the conflict. “It was winter and very cold. The roof had collapsed, and the rain came inside.”

The family was displaced yet again, eventually sheltering in another fragile structure with wooden boards covering the roof. As the eldest sibling, Nada took responsibility for carrying water from aid distribution points to the family shelter.

She also spoke with concern about her mother’s health. Having previously suffered from leukaemia, her mother has not been able to receive medical examinations for several years because much of Gaza’s healthcare system has been destroyed.

“There are no hospitals left,” Nada said quietly. “I worry very much about her.”

Despite the suffering she described, Nada said she hopes her time in Rome will allow her not only to continue her studies but also to bear witness to the experience of Palestinians in Gaza.

“I want everybody to know what we have been through,” she said. “I want to become someone my mother and my sisters can be proud of.”

She also expressed the hope that one day her mother might be able to join her in Rome. “I wish she could see how beautiful Rome is,” she said, “and receive medical care here.”

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Salem Abumustafa, originally from Khan Younis, also spoke of the devastation left behind in Gaza. The 20-year-old student said he left his family living in a tent without electricity and struggling daily to find water and other essentials.

“Our four-storey home was destroyed during the war,” he said.

Salem explained that studying in Rome represents an opportunity to restore hope for his family after months of hardship and uncertainty.

“I came here to have a better future and to make my family proud of me,” he said.

Concluding, Salem gave voice to his feelings of gratitude, identity and hope: “Long live Palestine. Long live Italy.”

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