Kenya and Italy, a dialogue that invests in new generations
Welcome Association Italy took part today in an institutional meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya in Rome, in a moment of discussion dedicated to the value of dialogue between institutions, the university world and new generations. The initiative is part of a context in which international student mobility is becoming increasingly significant, not only on an educational level, but also as a space for mutual knowledge, cultural cooperation and relations between countries.
The meeting was attended by a delegation composed of students belonging to Students Diplomatic Association (LUSDA), International Relations Innovation and Sustainability, and European Youth Network. The delegation was received by Mr. Edward Mwangi, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., who gave the students a particularly appreciated moment of listening and discussion.
A meeting that looks to the future of Kenya-Italy relations
The value of the meeting lies above all in the quality of the dialogue that it was possible to build. In a context in which the presence of Kenyan students in Italy shows signs of steady growth, occasions of this kind strengthen a direct relationship between institutional representations and new generations, offering students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Kenya in a broad perspective, not only cultural and social, but also institutional.
The most recent data confirm the relevance of this link. As of December 31, 2024, valid residence permits for study referred to Kenyan citizens in Italy totaled 190, an increase of 35 over the previous year, corresponding to +22.6 percent. Over the 2015-2024 period, the overall growth was 58.3%, from 120 to 190. This is a development that confirms the growing importance of the academic channel between Kenya and Italy and makes the dialogue with diplomatic institutions even more significant.
Students, universities and cultural diplomacy
Over time, Welcome Association Italy has complemented its orientation and tutelage activities with a set of institutional initiatives aimed at strengthening intercultural dialogue and the active involvement of students, fostering an ongoing relationship between academic communities, student associations and diplomatic representatives. Within this framework is also the international conference “Women and Diplomacy: Voices from the World,” sponsored on October 2, 2025 under the patronage of the Ministry of University and Research andLUMSA University, which involved diplomatic representatives, the academic community and youth associations.
Today’s meeting at the Kenyan Embassy also fits fully into this perspective: not as a mere institutional visit, but as a concrete opportunity to consolidate a dialogue that focuses on young people, their education and their ability to contribute to the building of more conscious and participatory international relations. In this sense, the students’ participation takes on a value that goes beyond the academic dimension, becoming part of a broader path of cultural diplomacy and intergenerational confrontation.
A shared commitment to the next generation
“The meeting at the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya represents a moment of special institutional and human value. We are grateful to the Embassy for the attention and willingness shown to the student delegation. For the students, this was a valuable opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Kenya from a broad and qualified perspective, confirming how much the dialogue between diplomatic representations, universities and new generations can contribute in a concrete way to the growth of increasingly solid cultural and institutional relations.”
Carlo Palumbo
Deputy National Secretary – Welcome Association Italy
An important signal of institutional attention
Today’s meeting confirms the value of initiatives capable of creating spaces for listening and relations between diplomacy and the university world. At a time when the paths of international students take on increasing relevance, the willingness of the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya to facilitate this discussion is a significant sign of attention to the role of new generations as a bridge between educational experiences, civil societies and relations between countries.
