I really like Turin, I discovered the city and how much the city can make you discover and understand yourself
Islem is 35 years old and arrived in Italy, in Turin, Italy, in November 2015.
Originally from a small country town on the coast of Tunisia, Sidi Alouane, he speaks Arabic (his native language, some dialects of which he also knows), French (which he has been studying since the age of 8, as it is Tunisia’s second official language), English, and Italian.
After attending, at the University of Manouba, in Tunis, the bachelor’s degree program in Urban Planning and Spatial Design, he began the master’s degree program in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage during which, thanks to a scholarship, he spent six months in Avignon.
Having completed his studies, he returned to Tunisia, where he wanted to develop his thesis project concerning the redevelopment of a former slaughterhouse. Recovering its original architectural form, with its division into sectors (the area for Christians, the area for Muslims, the area for Jews) and its use for sociocultural activities (theater, exhibitions, museums…), the building could have been a conduit between the highly popular area of Tunis, where it is located, and the more residential and artistic neighboring areas.
In those years, however, political events (2012, with the fall of the regime, the Arab Spring) made not only job prospects and the realization of new projects aleatory, but personal security itself, prompting Islem, though lacking a specific project, to reach Italy.
Lacking any major points of reference, as soon as he arrived he focused on learning the language, which enabled him, after only three months (in March 2016), to achieve certification with level b1: “A record!!!”
Professionally, Islem initially wanted to be an architect, to design, to draw, but the difficulty of following up on all his ideas, following the advice of an architect friend, he began taking professionalizing courses especially in green building. Eventually, he took a course as a technician for the maintenance and installation of renewable energy sources, specifically photovoltaic panels.
This very area represents the professional field in which Islem is engaged: always on call, he is responsible for monitoring the performance and proper functioning of both residential and industrial photovoltaic systems as well as organizing, coordinating and managing technicians for extraordinary maintenance.
Initially, he encountered some difficulties in gaining the trust of superiors and colleagues, but today Islem is very satisfied with his work, from which he receives much stimulation. In fact, he is often assigned to follow some projects in their entirety (including the one of the Smartflower photovoltaics in Lingotto), as well as managing contacts with foreign countries and various customers.
Sensitive to environmental issues, he believes that the main socio-scientific contribution he brings to our country is precisely his work in the field of renewable energy:
“Our company works well for the city, the region and the environment: we have goals aimed at the energy transition; but most of all, I like our commitment to raising awareness about the environment and the climate crisis”.
Islem has also gained some experience in the social sector, including working as an interpreter in refugee camps in Greece in 2016, which he describes as “a strong experience emotionally, listening to their stories of travel, of life, also served me to understand myself”.
Today Islem is happy and comfortable in Turin, where he bought a house and has several friends. He feels that the city offers many possibilities culturally (museums, exhibitions lots of greenery) and he would not choose anywhere else to live: “I discovered the city and how much the city can make you discover and understand yourself”. He does not miss Tunisia, as a place, but what he misses are the people: family, grandchildren, friends, and the chance to speak his language more frequently.
