February 6, 2023

Palermo, Migrant City

As part of a course called Palermo: Urban Migration, the Built Environment, and Global Justice, Penn undergraduate students traveled to the city last fall.

A group of old buildings along a street
Church of San Cataldo in Palermo. (Photo Mohammad Abunimeh)
Two people talk while sitting on the ground
Mohammad Abunimeh meets with Badri Badari, the Imam of the Moschea di Tunisia in Palermo. (Photo Mohammad Abunimeh)
A man points to an elaborate alter on a table while people look on
Visiting the Thileepan Tamil Cholat School in Palermo where Tamil-Italian students from learn about the Tamil language, culture, holidays, and dance. On the table is an altar for the Hindu festival of Navaratri, which had taken place the week before the trip. (Photo Amanda Oh)
A line of seated people talking
Students meet with mediator Ramy Thiyagarajah (second from left), a leader in the Tamil community in Palermo, at the Consulta delle Cultura, a council of elected representatives from various ethnic groups and nationalities. (Photo Amanda Oh)
A group of people pose for their picture
Students from the course join Weitzman faculty members Domenic Vitiello (far left) and Franca Trubiano (far right) along with Mohamad Laouar (fourth from left), elected member of Palermo's Consulta delle Culture (migrant city council), Shaidul Abdu (next to Laouar), founder of the Bangla School in Palermo, Rifat Hoque (in blue jacket), a cultural mediator supporting the class, Basak Eren (behind Hoque), a PhD student. (Photo Domenic Vitiello)
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Church of San Cataldo in Palermo. (Photo Mohammad Abunimeh)
Mohammad Abunimeh meets with Badri Badari, the Imam of the Moschea di Tunisia in Palermo. (Photo Mohammad Abunimeh)
Visiting the Thileepan Tamil Cholat School in Palermo where Tamil-Italian students from learn about the Tamil language, culture, holidays, and dance. On the table is an altar for the Hindu festival of Navaratri, which had taken place the week before the trip. (Photo Amanda Oh)
Students meet with mediator Ramy Thiyagarajah (second from left), a leader in the Tamil community in Palermo, at the Consulta delle Cultura, a council of elected representatives from various ethnic groups and nationalities. (Photo Amanda Oh)
Students from the course join Weitzman faculty members Domenic Vitiello (far left) and Franca Trubiano (far right) along with Mohamad Laouar (fourth from left), elected member of Palermo's Consulta delle Culture (migrant city council), Shaidul Abdu (next to Laouar), founder of the Bangla School in Palermo, Rifat Hoque (in blue jacket), a cultural mediator supporting the class, Basak Eren (behind Hoque), a PhD student. (Photo Domenic Vitiello)