A program dedicated to children in Palestinian refugee camps, aimed at promoting overall childhood development and improving education. 'Scuola Alternativa 2.0' is the project implemented by the Sardinia Palestine Association with its Lebanese partner Nuwat.
It is supported by the Region and is being implemented in collaboration with the Municipality of Quartu, which has involved several local schools. A meeting to discuss these months of project work and a benefit concert to raise funds for children in need are planned for January 26th.
Scuola Alternativa 2.0 was developed in continuation of "Education against Poverty," the first project implemented between 2021 and 2022, and "Scuola Alternativa," which began in 2024. It is therefore part of a multi-year educational program that covers refugee camps in Lebanon and extends to all refugees living in the camps. Scuola Alternativa 2.0 focuses specifically on children in Palestinian refugee camps, aiming to improve their overall development and education.
The overall objective is therefore to contribute to the protection of the rights of refugee children in Lebanon by improving educational provision, school, family, and community environments that influence the psychological health of children in the Beddawi, Ein El Hilwe, and Burj el Barajni refugee camps.
Community-based educational services are strengthened to offer inclusive and alternative education, psychosocial support, and protection. Educationally and economically disadvantaged children, their families, and their communities are involved in participatory child rights awareness-raising processes.
The project's promotion and outreach program benefited from the collaboration of the Department of Education of the Municipality of Quartu Sant'Elena. Several schools in Quartu were involved, with numerous children between the ages of 6 and 13 participating in activities led by a cultural mediator. The program, which focused on human rights, peace education, and intercultural dialogue, was implemented through meetings at participating schools as well as online connections between Sardinia and Lebanon, connecting children of the same age from local comprehensive schools and refugee camps affected by the project.
This process further strengthens the bridge between schools, or better yet, between young people, established with previous international cooperation educational projects. These projects aim to raise awareness of the fundamental principles of children's rights and the adverse conditions faced by children on other shores of our own Mediterranean, thus educating our young people about sharing and international solidarity.
The project's results will be presented on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Spazio Michelangelo Pira intergenerational community center, located on Via Brigata Sassari and the corner of Via Cagliari in Quartu. The leaders of the Sardegna Palestina association and Cinzia Carta, the Councilor for Education for Quartu Sant'Elena, will be present. "We supported this project because we believe it's important to offer our students opportunities for discussion and growth, helping them understand realities different from their own and develop sensitivity, respect, and care for others," commented Milia, a member of the Municipal Council. "Dialogue and exchange with children and young people in refugee camps represent a significant educational experience, capable of enriching the curriculum of our schools and strengthening fundamental values such as solidarity and peace."
"We just returned from a monitoring mission in the refugee camps in Lebanon," explains Mariangela Pedditzi of the Sardinia-Palestine Friendship Association. "We discussed the project's results, the improved education of children at risk of dropping out or who have dropped out. The participation of families and the collaboration of other stakeholders were crucial, helping to build an educational community, fostering the understanding that social growth depends on the education of the new generations."
A benefit concert is also scheduled for the same day, taking place at 7:00 PM at the Teatro Sacro Cuore in Piazza Sacro Cuore. The concert, "A una sola voce," features the "Note in toga" choir directed by Lorenzo Zonca, with Simone Floris on clarinet and Alessandra Atzori on vocals. The concert will feature a repertoire from the 1930s to the present day.
Quartu Sant'Elena, January 24, 2026.