Between March and July 2026, the Conservatorio di Musica “Arrigo Pedrollo” in Vicenza welcomed Diam Habiballah, a cello student from the Magnificat Institute of Jerusalem, as a visiting student within the mobility activities promoted by the JERUS-IT-ARTS project.

Her mobility in Vicenza offered her the opportunity to experience musical education in a broader and more structured academic setting. For Diam, the cello is more than her main field of study: it is a way to explore different musical languages. Through the instrument, she moves between Western classical repertoire and Arab and Middle Eastern traditions, discovering how different approaches to sound, intonation, and expression can enrich her musical identity. For Diam, the programme was not only a period of study abroad, but also a space of encounter, listening, and personal transformation. In Vicenza, she found a community eager to share its music, its culture, and its sense of belonging, while she, in turn, brought with her the sounds, memories, and musical heritage of Jerusalem. Diam’s journey embodies the spirit of JERUS-IT-ARTS: using music as a medium to connect people, places, and traditions, and to create something new between Jerusalem and Vicenza.

Introducing Maria, one of the young participants in the JERUS-IT-ARTS project. Maria, 20, was born in Babrujsk, Belarus. Last year, she spent a period in Vicenza studying vocal chamber music at the Conservatorio di Musica “Arrigo Pedrollo.” «Music has been a big part of my life since childhood—it makes me feel happy and alive,» she told us in one of the interviews featured in this video. Speaking about her move to Italy, Maria added, «Honestly, it felt like a dream to study abroad. For me, Italy isn’t just another country; it’s the birthplace of music and the art of singing.» The first weeks in Vicenza were challenging: new language, new culture. «But the conservatory community—students, teachers, even the office staff—were so welcoming. Their warmth helped me feel at home within a month.» As for her ambitions: «I want to complete my bachelor’s and master’s degrees and eventually teach, because I love working with children. I also have a small dream of conducting a choir. In general, I’d like to join international vocal projects and perform both around Europe and back in my home country.»

In the autumn of 2025, a Jubilee year but also a year of war, the Accademia Nazionale di Danza welcomed three students from Birzeit and Ramallah. Thanks to the mobility activity designed within JERUS-IT-ARTS, three full scholarships allowed them to stay in Rome, study at the Academy, and take part in the scheduled performance activities. The students were constantly supported by dedicated tutors and two incoming teachers from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, who held Masterclasses for both students and fellow faculty members, attended rehearsals and lessons, and studied and collaborated on the choreographic works connected to the project. This is a collection of videos depicting the activities and daily life of these exchange students in Rome. Dance, music, art, and culture, but also moments of conviviality and fun.