Welcome Association Italy at the exhibition “Hokusai: The Great Master of Japanese Art”

At Palazzo Bonaparte: An Opportunity for Culture, Encounter, and International Dialogue

On June 24, 2026, Welcome Association Italy took part in an exclusive guided tour of the exhibition “Hokusai: The Great Master of Japanese Art, ” held at Palazzo Bonaparte in Piazza Venezia in Rome.

The initiative, to which WAI was invited by Generali Italia, was a particularly significant moment not only because of the event’s cultural value, but also because it provided an opportunity to share this occasion with several organizations closely tied to the Welcome Association Italy’s network of associations and institutions.

For years, Generali Italia has been an important partner for WAI in the area of health insurance coverage for international students arriving in Italy who must navigate the process of applying for visas, residence permits, and legal residency. For this reason, participating in a cultural initiative promoted as part of Generali Valore Cultura has also come to symbolize a relationship that goes beyond the strictly operational aspects of the services, opening the door to opportunities for connection, participation, and sharing.

The exhibition dedicated to Katsushika Hokusai, one of the greatest masters of Japanese art, brings together over 200 works from the prestigious collection of the National Museum in Kraków, on display for the first time outside of Poland. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the artist’s creative universe, featuring some of his most famous series, from the “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” to the “Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, ” with iconic works such as “The Great Wave” and “Light Wind, Clear Morning.”

Alongside the landscapes that have profoundly influenced Western art, the exhibition also features works inspired by legends, poetry collections, famous manga, surimono, antique books, lacquerware, enamelware, armor, kimonos, and artifacts from the material culture of Edo-period Japan. This exhibition is not limited to the mere contemplation of the works; it offers visitors the opportunity to explore a complex cultural world that transcends different eras, languages, and artistic traditions.

For Welcome Association Italy, taking part in this visit also meant promoting culture as a space where communities can come together. WAI works daily with international students, foreign nationals, associations, universities, diplomatic missions, and local organizations. In this context, cultural events take on special significance: they allow for the creation of relationships in an open, informal, and shared setting, strengthening bonds that often arise from daily work focused on welcoming, orientation, and integration.

With this in mind, WAI was pleased to extend an invitation to several partners in its network, includingthe Association of Vietnamese Students in Italy, represented by President Vu Thi Bich Diep, and a delegationfrom the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Rome, with the participation of Andela Sevin and Staša Vuksanović.

The presence of these organizations added further value to the initiative, transforming the visit to the exhibition into an opportunity for dialogue among diverse experiences, communities, and perspectives. In this case, art became not only an object of observation but also an opportunity for connection: a shared space where associations, diplomatic missions, and organizations active in Italy’s international sphere were able to share a high-profile cultural experience.

“We thank Generali Italia for the kind invitation and for involving us in an initiative of such high cultural value,” said Carlo Palumbo, National Deputy Secretary of Welcome Association Italy. “It was a pleasure for WAI to share this occasion with some of our partners and key stakeholders. We believe that moments like this have a value that goes beyond the cultural event itself: they represent concrete opportunities for encounter, dialogue, and relationship-building among communities, institutions, and associations operating within Italy’s international context.”

Welcome Association Italy’s participation in the exhibition “Hokusai: The Great Master of Japanese Art” underscores its commitment to initiatives that bring together culture, relationships, and community engagement. For WAI, hospitality is expressed not only through services and operational support, but also through the creation of opportunities that foster mutual understanding, openness, and dialogue among the international communities living in Italy.

In a country marked by increasingly complex patterns of mobility, education, work, and integration, culture can serve as common ground. Visiting an exhibition together, sharing an artistic experience, and meeting at a symbolic location in the city of Rome helps build stronger relationships among people, organizations, and institutions.

Welcome Association Italy would like to thank Generali Italia for the invitation and all the participants who joined us for this event, reaffirming the value of collaboration among associations, diplomatic missions, partners, and international communities.