Grazia's Constellation

Study Day in Memory of Grazia Honegger Fresco, a Student of Maria Montessori

PROGRAM

9:30 AM - 1:00 PM Moderator: Grazia Colombo

Institutional Greetings, Anna Scavuzzo, Deputy Mayor of Milan.

Grazia Honegger Fresco: Her Work, Her Figure.
Sara Honegger, Coordinator of the Organizing Committee.

Learning and Memory in the Early Years:
Neurobiological Mechanisms and Critical Periods. Maria Montessori in the Light of Current Scientific Research.
Cristina Alberini, PhD, Julius Silver, Roslyn S. Silver & Enid Silver Winslow Professor, Center for Neural Science, New York University.

The Strength of Childhood and Maria Montessori's Anti-Pedagogy.
Raniero Regni, Professor of General and Social Pedagogy, Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA, Rome.

Educators in Contemporary Times: Questions, Knowledge, and Challenges.
Luisa Zecca, Full Professor, Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa", University of Milan-Bicocca | Piera Braga, Researcher, Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa", University of Milan-Bicocca.

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Moderator: Tiziana Valpiana

Grazia's Constellation. Appointments for a Year.
Montessori Association of Verona.

Care as a Place of Education: Invisible Wisdom in the Daily Tasks of the Nursery School.
Livia Cosmai, Educationalist, Head of Childhood and Parenting Services, Municipality of Bergamo.

Exploratory Wandering and the Alphabet of Human Work.
Video

Let Me Grow: Is Adult Intervention Always Necessary?
Sabrina Ricci, Educational Coordinator, Oreste and Piero Bossi Municipal Nursery School, Municipality of Cardano al Campo.

Cultivating the Future: The Creative Power of Active Education.

Carlo Alberti, Sociologist, Trainer at Percorsi per Crescere, Castellanza, and C.E.M.E.A.Ticino (CH).

Musical accompaniment: Daniela Savoldi, cellist.

Throughout her long life of study and work, Grazia Honegger Fresco has consistently encouraged parents and educators to observe children to learn to recognize their needs, abilities, and aptitudes, and to respect their pace.

Educating the very young, she often repeated, is a delicate art, and only through this observation is it possible to transform relationships and environments, reflecting on the experiences that allow each boy and girl to fully experience a maturation process capable of combining physical and mental development.

What does this Montessori approach, centered on respect and peace, have to say in a historical moment when war is once again prevalent and children's development is threatened by early exposure to the rhythms and tools of adult life? What training can help educators in this day and age?

This conference was proposed and organized by Sara Honegger, together with Grazia Colombo, Valeria Ferloni, Francesca Lago, Lidia Magistrati, Angela Paulon, Sabrina Ricci, and Tiziana Valpiana. With the support of Fulvio Honegger.

Inaugural conference proposed and organized by Sara Honegger with Grazia Colombo, Valeria Ferloni, Francesca Lago, Lidia Magistrati, Angela Paulon, Sabrina Ricci, Tiziana Valpiana

In collaboration with Percorsi per Crescere, Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli and Associazione Montessori Verona.

Under the patronage of: Municipality of Milan, Municipality of Bergamo, Municipality of Castellanza, Municipality of Cardano al Campo, Province of Varese, University of Milano-Bicocca, LUMSA University of Rome, Association Montessori International.

With thanks to: Asnada, Gli Asini, Cemea, Centro Nascita Montessori, Elinor Goldschmied “Educare APS”, Il Melograno, L'isolachenonc'è.

With Lidia Magistrati and Barbara Ongari.

Grazia Honegger Fresco and Elinor Goldschmied knew each other and followed, with interest and deep mutual esteem, the study, research, in-depth work and practical applications that each of them carried out in the field of very early childhood.

In 1958 Elinor Goldschmied opened the first nursery outside the ONMI system (which at the time ran the services for children and mothers in difficulty, and whose replacement in the 1970s led to the creation of public nurseries) at the Villaggio della Madre e del Fanciullo in Milan. Her work, both in London and in Italy, always focused above all on work for and in public and private nurseries.

In the 1980s she did training work at the Centro Nascita Montessori in Rome, then directed by Grazia Honegger Fresco.

Lidia Magistrati met Grazia Honegger Fresco in 1978 in Rimini, at a residential course of Margherita Zoebeli's C.E.I.S., and from then on they never lost touch. At the time Lidia worked at the nursery of the Villaggio della Madre e del Fanciullo; Grazia Honegger Fresco regularly visited the facility created by Elinor Goldschmied, and also observed with great interest the mother/child groups that Lidia ran in the houses together with the mothers living in the three communities of the Villaggio.

At the end of the 1990s Grazia Honegger Fresco asked Lidia to be a trainer in the Montessori 0-3 courses, as she considered Goldschmied's work fundamental for the creation of nurseries and for the work of educators. In particular, she wanted to bring into her courses, and explore in depth, Elinor Goldschmied's two play proposals: “the Treasure Basket” for babies in their first year of life and “Heuristic Play” for children in their second year.

Since then and to this day, Lidia Magistrati has been invited by Montessori associations in various Italian cities to present and make known Elinor Goldschmied's educational approach in the nursery.

In the webinar we are proposing, we would like to “let these two women speak”, these teachers of care, of the education of young children and of the work of educators: their points of contact and their differences.

Online meeting on the Meet platform: https://meet.google.com/yyg-bnit-cns

Program:

15.30 Welcome and registration
16.00 Introduction by Vanda Mazzarello, president of A.C.S. Montessori Genova
16.15 Talks begin
Easy to love, hard to understand. The society of adults and the people of children.
Raniero Regni, full professor of general and social pedagogy, Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA, Rome.
The touch that nourishes: how to build a relationship of trust.
Benedetta Costa, physiotherapist specializing in early childhood and newborns, who brought Vimala McClure's infant massage to Italy.
The importance of the first thousand days.
Giancarlo Ottonello, family pediatrician at ASL 3 Genova
The relevance of Montessori thought in the birth of nurseries: the valuable contribution of Grazia Honegger Fresco.
Doriana Allegri, pedagogist, psychomotor therapist for the developmental age, Montessori trainer and member of the Board of the Opera Nazionale Montessori, formerly head of the pedagogical coordination of municipal and private early childhood services of the City of Genoa.
18.00 “Un nido per amico”: video screening of Montessori settings in Genoa in the 0-3 educational field.
18.20 Presentation of “Grazia's Constellation”, new upcoming events in Genoa in 2026 in memory of Grazia Honegger Fresco for the 0-11 age group.
18.30 Close of the day.

In collaboration with Percorsi per Crescere and Opera Nazionale Montessori

In-person meeting with Francesca Lago.

With Franco De Luca, pediatrician and president of the Centro Nascita Montessori, and Isabella Micheletti, trainer at the Opera Nazionale Montessori.

In-person meeting with Francesca Lago.

With Isabella Sciarretta, Montessori counselor.

A meeting for families and for all those who, in various capacities, are beside them during the first 1000 days of life. Following the thought of Grazia Honegger Fresco, the Montessori perspective and current evidence on one of the most complex issues raised by new parents.

Following up on the conference “The secrets of childhood. The child from 0 to 3 years”, we are offering a morning at our school in Varese, named after Grazia Honegger Fresco. Through workshop activities it will be possible to try out the activities and materials of an educational path (from nursery to primary school) that offers every boy and girl opportunities to develop their own potential, according to their personal motivations, times and rhythms, along a path founded on continuity, on respect, on attention and on listening to each child.

Guided by the children of the fifth year of primary school, it will also be possible to visit the school's spaces, set up as a “museum” path.
Videos, materials, photographs and writings by Grazia Honegger Fresco will make it possible to retrace a path that continues to this day.

ORGANIZATION OF THE DAY

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2026

10.00: welcome
10.30-12.00: workshop activities for parents and educators
From 12.00 to 13.00: guided tour of the museum path dedicated to Grazia Honegger Fresco

WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES

WEAVINGS OF CARE. An invitation to rediscover the value of educating through our hands, shared time and a mindful presence.
Making a small cardboard loom: a hands-on, convivial experience to reflect together on how small gestures can nourish authentic relationships.
Led by Valentina Brahimaj, nursery educator
MAX 10 participants

THE PLAY OF PAINTING IN ARNO STERN'S CLOSLIEU.

The Closlieu, a term meaning "protected place", is a space designed to foster freedom of expression and personal growth through the play of painting, where each participant can explore their own "Formulation", that is, the inner images that emerge spontaneously.

Led by Francesca Daverio, Closlieu practitioner

MAX 10 participants

FROM THE DELICATE GESTURE TO THE SCIENTIST'S GAZE. The progression of the Montessori materials as a support and guide in the child's development.
In continuity, from nursery to primary school, we propose a path on fine motor skills to reflect on the child's gestures and achievements.
Led by:
Elena Castiglioni, nursery educator
Valentina Marino, Casa dei Bambini educator
Erika Mantegazza, Francesca Marchinu and Martina Grassi, primary school teachers.
MAX 15 participants.

THE CHILD YOU WERE, THE ADULT YOU ARE. Looking at the child as the builder of humanity.
A practical activity and a moment of discussion on the importance of early childhood, with the child as the main protagonist of their own growth.
Led by Samantha Girotto, Casa dei Bambini teacher
MAX 10 participants.
At the end of the activities:

VISIT TO THE SCHOOL. FORTY YEARS OF HISTORY

The four activities will take place at the same time.

With Francesca Martinez

The importance of sleep as a moment of care and rest for the child at the nursery.
Sleeping outdoors: benefits and advantages.
Theoretical reflections based on the thought of Jeannette Bouton and of Grazia Honegger Fresco.
Viewing of films showing children falling asleep at different ages.
Visit to the nursery spaces and to the terrace used as a “sleep room”.

Contact person: Daniela Valenti

A morning of study with Anna Frattini, Carlo Alberti, Lidia Magistrati and the screening of a video lecture by Grazia Honegger Fresco. Moderated by Patrizia Enzi.

In collaboration with the Municipality of Brescia | La tua città europea. And with Fondazione Intro.

Curated by Gabriella Falcicchio.

The initiative aims to explore the thought, the publications and the educational practices of Grazia Honegger Fresco from the standpoint of the nonviolent tradition, with reference both to her educational approach and its nonviolent quality and to peace education (also in relation to Montessori's own elaboration), while also taking into account the activities carried out by Grazia Honegger Fresco in specific contexts (such as Danilo Dolci's educational center). The day is aimed at university students of the degree course in Education and Training Sciences and at interested secondary school classes in the morning session; and at cooperatives and associations working in the social and educational field, nursery educators and interested teachers of all school levels in the afternoon session.

Curated by Teresa Zaccaria and Silvia Todeschini

With Maurizio Rosenberg Colorni, journalist and founder of Red Edizioni; Paolo Giomo, editorial graphic designer; Fiorella Bonsi, pedagogist, Montessori educator, birth support worker at Il Melograno. Moderated by Luciana Bellone, Melograno Nazionale.

Curated by Isabella Sciarretta.

Free meeting, registration required via WhatsApp message to 349 6418745

Contact person: Angela Paulon

Program

8.30 - 9.00
Welcome and registration of participants
9.00 - 9.15
Opening of the day
Institutional greetings
Introduction to the day
Chair: Sabina Dal Pra', psychotherapist, Past President and founding member of La Stanza Blu
9.15 - 9.30
Presentation of the La Stanza Blu association
Maria Petitti, pedagogist, Vice President and founding member of La Stanza Blu
9.30 - 10.15
Lectio Magistralis
0-3 years.
The development of the mind, the birth of the psyche.
The importance of the relationship.
Paolo Chiari, psychoanalyst, Società Psicoanalitica Italiana and International Psychoanalytical Association
10.15 - 11.00
A space that thinks: La Casa Blu. A psycho-pedagogical setting for early prevention
Francesca Schillaci, psychotherapist, President and founding member of La Stanza Blu
Olimpia Addabbo, perinatal psycho-pedagogical educator, founding member of La Stanza Blu
Aurelia Zambonin, 0-6 educator, coordinator and staff member at La Casa Blu
Francesca Stolfi, psychologist, staff member at La Casa Blu
11.00 - 11.15
Discussion
11.15 - 11.30
Coffee break
11.30 - 12.45
Round table with local services
The network between services and the dialogue with families
Chair: Marina Panzeri, pedagogist, member of the Coordination Board of La Stanza Blu;
Mirella Ebainetti, social worker, Director of the Cooperativa Sociale Il Manto, Fondazione Cometa, Como;
Marta Micelli, anthropologist and Coordinator of the Consultorio Familiare Icarus;
Sonia Monticelli, psychotherapist and Director of the Consultorio La Famiglia;
Marco Siviero, child neuropsychiatrist, Director of the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Mental Health and Addictions, ASST Lariana;
Francesca Staurenghi, psychotherapist, Director of the Family Counseling Coordination Unit, ASST Lariana
12.45 - 13.00
Discussion and concluding remarks
Contact person: Olimpia Addabbo.

Contact person: Patrizia Mazza

How can we educate for nonviolence from the earliest years of life? What role do respect, autonomy and caring relationships play in building a nonviolent society? With Gabriella Falcicchio, University of Bari. The meeting will present the new issue 1/2026 of Azione nonviolenta, “Brilla la costellazione di Grazia” (Grazia's constellation shines), devoted to the figure, thought and legacy of Grazia Honegger Fresco.