(February 1, 2017) “I went to Juba and from there to Addis Ababa, at the Italian Embassy in Ethiopia, to start the paperwork for the visa. Then a flight to Rome and a train to Bologna. I must thank all those who helped me, from the Ministry to the embassy, to the university: without them I would have never been able to be here”. This was stated – as written on the website of the Alma Mater – by Ochan Lazarous: 31 yo, he is an international student enrolled in the first year of the Master in International Horticultural Science at the University of Bologna. Although there are many students coming from all over the world who attend the international course of the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, the story of Ochan is, as of today, unique: Ochan, in fact, comes from South Sudan and is the first student of the young African country to have the opportunity to study in Italy, thanks to a scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Once finished his studies, Ochan will return to South Sudan, where he will teach to university students in the African country. (Red)
