Italian Ariela Gioacchino Is the New President of the World Union of Jewish Students

Ariela Gioacchino was unanimously elected president of the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS). Gioacchino, 27, was born in Rome and was previously a policy officer of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) and secretary of the Young Jewish Italian Union (UGEI). She believes that “a strong, interconnected, and responsible global movement of Jewish students” is necessary because “our diversity is our strength, and our future depends on how united we are.” After the election, she remarked that the WUJS should be “the platform that unifies us, not only through words, but also through concrete actions and opportunities.” According to Gioacchino, “the difficulties shared by Jewish students from Australia to Chile and from Norway to South Africa” require a coordinated, transparent approach. She added that the post-October 7 events “have challenged the global Jewish community in unprecedented ways.”

Gioacchino recently earned a master’s degree in “International Relations: Criminality, Justice, and Security” from the University of Bologna. After participating in various international exchanges, she worked as an executive assistant in the public relations office of the Embassy of Israel in Italy and interned at the Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi.