30 years later: former Finafrica student returns to visit Collegio di Milano

The headquarters of Fondazione Collegio delle Università Milanesi in Via San Vigilio is the symbol of a long tradition of international education. Before Collegio di Milano, these spaces were home to Finafrica, a project of excellence run by Fondazione Cariplo, created to train and empower young people from developing countries.

Among those students was Abdelfattah Al Shalabi, now Director General of the Jordan Cooperative Corporation – a government agency under the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture – who returned three decades later to revisit the places where he studied: “I had the pleasure of visiting the Fondazione Collegio delle Università Milanesi, formerly known as Fondazione Giordano dell’Amore (FINAFRICA), once again. In fact, this was my first visit in 27 years since I earned my master’s degree in Banking and Finance for Development at this prestigious institution. It was truly a wonderful opportunity to relive the old days and the memories I shared and the experiences I had on your esteemed campus when I was a student.”

Abdelfattah’s visit ideally reconnected Via San Vigilio’s past with its present, celebrating a historical memory that continues to make Milan a point of reference and a bridge to international contexts.