The University of Perugia and the University for Foreigners of Perugia were the only universities representing Italy at the VI University Presidents for Peace Conference, held on 6 August in Hiroshima (Japan) and organised by Hiroshima University. The event was attended by Rectors and representatives from universities around the world.
The joint presence of the two Universities takes on a particular significance for Umbria, a region where the theme of peace has deep roots: from Francis of Assisi to Aldo Capitini and Franco Rasetti, from the PerugiAssisi March to the numerous initiatives that universities, in collaboration with local institutions, promote at the national and international levels.
For the Rector of the University of Perugia, Prof. Massimiliano Marianelli, “being here together is more than just the presence of each individual university; it enriches the occasion with a common purpose, deeply rooted in our historical and cultural traditions, thus broadening and strengthening its impact. Perugia, in fact, brings a unique history and responsibility to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is the homeland of Francis of Assisi and Aldo Capitini, but also of Franco Rasetti, the scientist who refused to participate in the Manhattan Project for the development of the first atomic bomb. Today, this legacy calls on us to transform memory into responsibility, and knowledge into a tool for dialogue and peace.”
The University of Perugia is an active promoter of the project Universities, Bridges of Peace, which culminated on 25 February 2026 with the signing of the “Assisi Charter” in Assisi. Among the first signatories was also the University for Foreigners of Perugia, together with sixteen other Italian and international universities. The Charter calls on universities to embrace responsibility for knowledge, foster dialogue, and build relations between peoples and cultures. “We therefore extend our sincere gratitude to the University for Foreigners of Perugia and to the Rector, Prof. De Cesaris, for their commitment and dedication in promoting worldwide the ideals of peace that unite us.”
For the Rector of the University for Foreigners of Perugia, Prof. Valerio De Cesaris, “the joint participation of the two universities from Perugia in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is testament to the heightened responsibility that universities are called to assume in today’s global context. In the face of renewed militarisation and the logic of rearmament, universities can and must offer alternative tools: education, culture, research, and that cultural diplomacy which enables us to view others not as threats, but as interlocutors. Peace is not only a principle to uphold, but a process built through knowledge and encounter. This is why international academic cooperation and student mobility are important not only for education, but also for bridging divides and fostering conditions for dialogue. Supporting young people to study abroad, and enabling them to learn new languages, cultures, and perspectives, means actively contributing to closing distances and nurturing dialogue. This is a responsibility we feel particularly as the University for Foreigners, and one we wish to continue to share with the University of Perugia and our international partners.”
The mission of the two universities continued in Nagasaki, where representatives from both institutions took part in meetings and commemorations related to the memory of the atomic bombing, furthering dialogue and strengthening ties with the Japanese university system.
The presence of these two universities thus highlights the strong international vocation of Perugia and Umbria: a university environment in which, through institutions with different histories and missions, peace, intercultural dialogue, and the responsibility of knowledge serve as common ground for building new international relationships.