The 70-Year Anniversary Celebrations – the extraordinary legacy left in Perugia by Maria Montessori
For the city of Perugia, 2020 will be a year of great significance. Seventy years ago, Maria Montessori, who had already selected Perugia as the ideal city in which to explore the topic of “the child as builder of peace,” was invited to direct the Center for Pedagogical Studies at the University for Foreigners of Perugia, and invested with this role, she embarked upon the teaching of several historic national and international courses dedicated to the training of Method teachers.
The goal of the 70-Year Anniversary Celebrations, which began on September 14th, 2019, and will run through the end of December, 2020, is that of promoting awareness of the presence and the extraordinary legacy left in Perugia by Maria Montessori. These celebrations will be the opportunity and the vehicle through which to promote and to “internationalize,” through the formation of new alliances, the nascent “Distretto Montessori Perugia,” which is comprised of the following: Santa Croce Preschool – Maria Montessori Children’s House; the University for Foreigners of Perugia; the City of Perugia; the eLand Foundation; the network of Montessori schools of Perugia; and by the Maria Antonietta Paolini Association and the Montessori Training Center Association, which are to this day responsible for Method teacher training in the region of Umbria.
In order to ensure maximum inclusivity in the 70-year celebrations, a promotional committee was formed to invite the participation of the Università degli Studi di Perugia, the Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per l’Umbria, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Perugia, the Conservatorio di Musica di Perugia, l’Opera Nazionale Montessori, AMI (Association Montessori Internationale), AMS (American Montessori Society), ANCI Umbria, the Fondazione Aldo Capitini and the Filo Rosso di Maria Montessori association.
The 70-year Anniversary Celebrations will also be the occasion during which the Montessori District Perugia, in recognition of its long history as promotor of peace and as advocate for children’s rights, will be nominated for consideration as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Program of the Opening Celebrations – 14 September
PIAZZA IV NOVEMBRE 10 am
Choir of the Distretto Montessori Perugia – directed by Maestro Enrico Bindocci, with the special participation of Umbria Jazz
Procession of children, functionaries and honored guests
Musical ring around the fountain with the Montessori school children of Perugia, led by musicians of Umbria Jazz
FOLLOWED BY, in the SALA DEI NOTARI
OPENING DISCUSSIONS
Introduction by Flavia Morelli and Maria Eva Rossi – Organizational Comittee
Mayor of Perugia – Andrea Romizi
Salutations by Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti – Archbishop of Perugia, of Città Della Pieve, President of CEI
resident of Santa Croce Preschool – Sabina Orzella
Rector of the University for Foreigners of Perugia – Giuliana Grego Bolli
General Director of the Eland Foundation – Guido Busti
Superintendent Montessori schools Perugia – Luca Arcese
Associazione Maria Antonietta Paolini – Luana Gigliarelli
Associazione Montessori Training Center – Raniero Regni
Premiere of the documentary produced by the regional section of the Rai: “Maria Montessori. Il filo rosso”- Introduction by Andrea Jengo, Director of Rai Umbria
The Mayor of Perugia honors Elvira Businelli and Delfina Tomassini
Video connection with Grazia Honegger Fresco
Participation of the Executive Director AMS (American Montessori Society) – Timothy Purnell
FEATURED SPEAKERS
President of the Eland Foundation – Matteo Ferroni
President of the Opera Nazionale Montessori – Benedetto Scoppola
Executive Director of AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) – Lynne Lawrence
VALUED PARTICIPANTS
President of the Region of Umbria – Fabio Paparelli
Rettore Università Degli Studi Di Perugia – Franco Moriconi
Direttore Accademia Di Belle Arti – Emidio De Albentiis
Direttore Conservatorio Di Musica Di Perugia – Luigi Ciuffa
Ufficio Scolastico Regionale Per L’umbria – Antonella !unti
Sodalizio Di San Martino – Fiammetta Marchionni
Presidente Anci – Francesco De Rebotti
Presidente Fondazione Aldo Capitini – Giuseppe Moscati
Presidente Fondazione Hallgarten Franchetti Centro Studi Villa Montesca – Angelo Capecci
Direttore Generale Umbria Jazz – Giampiero Rasimelli
Fondazione Cassa Di Risparmio Di Perugia – Alessandra Baldelli
Presidente Camera Di Commercio Di Perugia – Giorgio Mencaroni
Presidente Umbra Acque – Gianluca Carini
University for Foreigners Events
Montessori Day
Uj for Kids
Events calendar
Perugia Montessori District
An urban and cultural concept aimed at strengthening and promoting awareness of the Montessori identity of the city of Perugia
The Maria Montessori Experimental Classroom
The classroom conceived and designed by the Dottoressa of Chiaravalle herself for the observation of children at work
70th Anniversary Celebrations
Sixteen months of celebrations and events: The city of Perugia will be home to 16 months of cultural and scientific events which will distinguish Perugia as a place of particular significance within the span of Montessori history
Santa Croce Preschool – Maria Montessori “Children's House”
Maria Montessori recognized the great educational potential of Nature, and she founded her work upon this potential…
