“University and Integration”. Amb. Khaled Zekriya at the University of Teramo to promote a project against racism.

On March 19, as part of the project in collaboration with Salam Association, the National Office Against Racial Discrimination, and the Office of the Italian Prime Minister on the occasion of the “Week of Action Against Racism,” the Conference “Cultural Integration, Social Promotion, and Human Development through University Studies” was held at the University of Teramo.

The international Conference commenced with greetings from the Rector, Dino Mastrocola. Following this, speeches were delivered by Stefano Ravagnan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy for Syria, H.E. Khaled Zekriya , the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic and Mission of Afghanistan, Basim Hatat, the Director-General of the European Institute for Strategic Policy Analysis, Ahmed Bakkora, the President of the International Refugee Commission, Imad Barq, the Vice President of the University of Aleppo, and Laura Di Filippo and Pietro Gargiulo, professors at the University of Teramo, specializing in Transnational Crime and International Law. Concluding remarks were provided by Simona Fernandez of Salam Association-Ong for Mediterranean Peoples’ Cooperation. In the afternoon, an exhibition of Islamic art miniatures was presented, featuring interventions by Ambassador Khaled Zekriya and Professor Ragur Nazir. The exhibition will also be showcased in other centers in the Teramo area and will remain open to the public at the University until March 25.

The University of Teramo’s project aims to promote intense international cooperation to overcome obstacles and challenges in recognizing academic qualifications for refugees or enabling them to pursue undergraduate and specialization programs, thereby facilitating their access to the job market and personal fulfillment.

For students arriving from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and many other countries where studying is denied or challenging due to the political-social situation, cultural institutions as universities become humanitarian channels for integration, social promotion, and human development.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to address the world’s challenging situation, where nearly 12% of the population is displaced, emphasizing the necessity of restoring democracy and justice to repatriate refugees.

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