At a time when even in Italian apartment blocks people struggle to get to know their next-door neighbours, Italians in Nairobi still manage to bring together dozens of families, volunteers, professionals and children around a shared project. This is perhaps the most interesting finding to emerge from the Republic Day celebrations organised by Parlami, the initiative dedicated to teaching the Italian language to the children of fellow Italians living in the Kenyan capital.

Sixty children, seventy-five parents and volunteers, workshops, music, storytelling, astronomy and a closing dinner. The figures speak to the success of the event hosted by Queen Deli, the cosy padel and bar in Gigiri, which reached the maximum number of participants allowed for children, confirming just how much the initiative resonated and how strong the desire is among Italian families to create opportunities for the younger generations born or raised in Kenya to come together.
Behind the event’s success lies, above all, the work of Parlami, the project conceived in 2025 by Mila Shopova, an Italian of Macedonian origin, who recognised the need felt by many parents to keep their children’s linguistic and cultural ties with Italy alive. A need that, far from the peninsula, often takes on even greater significance.

The day turned into a veritable celebration of Italian expertise in Nairobi. The scientific attaché at the Italian Embassy, Fabio Santoni, guided the young people on a journey of discovery through the heavens thanks to an inflatable planetarium set up for the occasion.
The embassy’s second secretary, Giulia Orlandi, and Il Sole 24 Ore’s Africa correspondent, Alberto Magnani, led the storytelling sessions, whilst the tireless Monia Posti, owner of Queen Deli, ran the cookery workshop.
There was no shortage of moments dedicated to creativity, thanks to the art workshop coordinated by Patrizia Surace, a certified teacher and head of education at Parlami, nor of musical moments. A real highlight was the ‘Let’s Sing Together’ session, born from the collaboration between the multi-talented keyboardist Pietro Tilli, Francesco from UNODC and music teacher Andrew, who engaged children and families in a collective experience that was particularly well-received.

The evening then concluded with a communal dinner bringing together children, parents and volunteers, whilst the adults were able to enjoy a few moments of relaxation over a spritz or a glass of prosecco, in what became a little slice of Italy in the heart of Nairobi.
But perhaps the most significant aspect of the initiative goes beyond the highly successful event itself. Parlami continues to grow thanks to the entirely voluntary work of those involved. In addition to Patrizia Surace, the project benefits from the contribution of Giulia Lavagna, an architect specialising in Event and Space Design, who oversees the design of the spaces and activities dedicated to children and families.

Currently run as an extracurricular activity at Durham International School in Nairobi, thanks to its founder and coordinator Mila Shopova – the mother of a Durham pupil – the initiative stands as one of the most tangible examples of how the Italian community in Kenya continues to pool its energy, expertise and passion. This is a quality that often emerges in this African country at its finest moments, when someone puts forward an idea and many others decide to lend a hand. In this case, we must thank the event’s sponsors: Village Market, Comites Kenya, ICM S.p.A., Gigiri Social Club, Queen Deli and Travelling Telescope.