Dreams Deserving to Fly: Celebrating 800 Years of the World's Oldest Public University with Scholarships for Deserving Students from Conflict Zones

Today, the closing ceremony of the initiative "Dreams Deserving to Fly" took place, created to celebrate the 800 years of the world's oldest public university, with the aim of providing tangible support to deserving students from countries in war, affected by famine, or subjected to severe economic, civil, and political rights restrictions. The ceremony was held in the presence of Rector Matteo Lorito, the head of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Naples Marco Rossi, and the CEO of GESAC Roberto Barbieri. For the academic year 2024/2025, 16 out of 36 candidates were awarded scholarships funded by GESAC. The students were selected by a committee, composed of a delegate from Federico II, the general secretary of the Community of S. Egidio in Naples, and a representative of GESAC. Evaluation criteria were, besides the actual and documented situation of need, a strong motivation to continue studies, the certificate of enrollment at Federico II with any exams taken, the educational and professional background, including in the countries of origin, as well as the level of knowledge of the Italian language, a fundamental vehicle for the continuation of studies and integration into the academic and social context. Participation in volunteer projects and activities that highlight the significant contribution of foreign youth to the construction of a solidarity network was also considered. The students, already exempt from paying university fees, thanks to the policy of Federico II consolidated over the years, will receive significant economic support to support a new phase of their academic journey, which may allow achieving professional goals consistent with the studies undertaken. The countries of origin of the scholarship recipients, of which 7 are female students and 9 are male students, are: Afghanistan, Guinea, Iran, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Ukraine, while the courses of study include: medical biotechnologies, business economics, philosophy, law, humanities, medicine, electronic engineering, geotechnical, computer and mechanical engineering, international relations, and nursing sciences. The event, held in a venue that has been a crossroads of cultures and knowledge for 800 years, as well as a place for the valorization of diversity, was enriched by the presence of the writer Maurizio de Giovanni. The announcement of the "Dreams Deserving to Fly" project is available to all Italian universities, with the hope that it becomes a model to emulate for integration and inclusion and a healthy and harmonious relationship between public, private, and third sectors that, in addition to looking at the interests of students, takes into account the real and urgent needs of Italian society, of which young migrants and refugees represent a great opportunity for enrichment and growth to live together a renewed sense of citizenship in a country open to the great challenges of the world.