A new welcome house for international students at the University of Pisa has been inaugurated at Piazza Martiri della Libertà 3, in the recently renovated premises of the former “Casa del Contadino”, owned by the Santa Caterina Seminary. The initiative was made possible thanks to the commitment of the Associazione Sante Malatesta and the support of the University of Pisa, which covered the rental costs using funds raised through 5×1000 donations.
Named “Alle querce di Mamre” — recalling the hospitality shown by Abraham and Sarah to three mysterious travellers — the house features a painting of a large oak tree at its entrance, symbolising the values of welcome and hospitality. The daily management of the house will be entrusted to the Associazione Sante Malatesta and the Parish of Santa Caterina.
Spread over two floors, the house includes five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a common room and a small garden. The spaces have been designed to encourage sharing and community life, and to foster encounters among people from different cultures and backgrounds. The facility can host up to thirteen international students enrolled in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree courses at the University of Pisa. The current residents come from Ethiopia, India, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, Tunisia and Yemen.
The welcome house was officially inaugurated on Saturday 22 November, in the presence of representatives from all the organisations involved in the initiative. Speakers included Giuliano Colombetti, President of the Associazione Sante Malatesta; Archbishop Saverio Cannistrà; Professor Marco Macchia, Delegate for Community Engagement and Donations at the University; and Veronica Senegagliesi, IKEA Sustainability Specialist, whose company donated the kitchen. The event was also attended by volunteers from the Italian Red Cross and Caritas, representatives of the parish council, catechists and members of the Pisa 5 Scout Group, which is based at the Parish of Santa Caterina.
