Kate Middleton returns to Italy. And the countdown has already begun. The Princess of Wales will in fact be in Reggio Emilia il 13 e 14st MayTwo days. A mini-tour without her husband William – the first international trip since the illness, discovered in 2024 – dedicated to exploring the educational philosophy that made her famous (and studied). all over the world the Emilian city. A symbolic choice for Kate, patroness in the United Kingdom of a campaign to promote thechildren's education from the very first childhood.
The details of the program are still top secret, but after Kensington Palace's official announcement, the city is buzzing. Only a few rumors suggest that the stops will include at least a couple of schools and the headquarters of Reggio Children, the international centre that has collected the legacy of the pedagogist cheese Loris Malaguzzi, father of Reggio Emilia ApproachAn approach, indeed, that begins a long time ago: from the nineteenth century, with the first nursery school for working-class children, to the postwar period, with the experiences of women (particularly those of the UDI) who inspired Malaguzzi himself. And so, from a school founded by selling a tank and six horses left behind by fleeing Germans, the foundations were laid for an educational system that today is part of a network of 145 countries and territories.
In this interview with FIRST online, Francesco Profumo, former Minister of Education, university professor, a career studded with roles in important companies and – since 2024 – president of the Reggio Children Foundation, tells us the details of this visit: for Princess Kate, in fact, it will be a way to compare notes in view of the global expansion of the Royal Foundation Early Childhood Centre (The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood). This is why she will meet with local administrators, business leaders, but above all, the protagonists of the pioneering approach: children, educators, and parents.
Professor Profumo, how did this visit come about?
The visit stems from the Princess's genuine and profound interest in the value of early education. Through public engagement in the United Kingdom, the Princess has repeatedly emphasized how the first years of a child's life are crucial not only for their cognitive development but also for building their emotional and relational identity. And, during this work, the Princess identified the Reggio Emilia Approach as being of interest because it represents a unique experience. It is a grassroots educational approach, born from women and people who had gained experience in education in the post-war period. Thanks to the extraordinary vision of Loris Malaguzzi and the participation of the citizens, Reggio Emilia feels this model is truly its own: the entire Reggio Emilia community took part.
But who contacted whom?
"It was them, from the United Kingdom, who sought out Reggio. Princess Kate, in fact, had already learned about the Reggio Emilia Approach and greatly appreciated it. Today she wants to visit the places, visit the schools, talk to the children, the teachers, and even the parents, precisely because she considers it a very interesting model."
The entire city is—understandably—excited. How did you at the Reggio Children Foundation react to this news?
We welcomed this news with great emotion, but also with a profound sense of responsibility. When an international figure like Princess Kate, so beloved and recognized, decides to dedicate time and energy to the topic of children's education, it truly means that childhood is once again at the center of global public debate, and we are fully aware of this. So we are preparing with great care, but also with the spirit that has always characterized Reggio Emilia: authenticity and listening. We don't want to showcase a model, but rather share an educational culture that has been built over decades of daily work: in schools, in nurseries, in relationships with families, and in the community.
Aside from the obvious formalities and ceremonies, what kind of meeting are you preparing for?
"I think it will be a very pleasant meeting: I'm convinced that someone who prioritizes children's education is easy to interact with. I've dedicated my entire life to education, especially that of university students, but in recent years I've also dedicated a lot of time to children, so yes, I think it will be easy to interact."
The Reggio Emilia Approach places the child at the center as an active subject, holder of rights and equipped with "a hundred languages": expressive, communicative, cognitive.
“Yes, because be careful: Reggio Emilia's is not a predefined model but an approach that varies from region to region.”
And is this, in your opinion, what won over and seduced Kate?
I think the idea of a child that emerges from the Reggio Emilia Approach was striking: a child who is competent, curious, creative, capable of building knowledge together with others. Malaguzzi often spoke of the 100 languages of children, which are 100 ways of thinking, expressing themselves, imagining, and exploring the world. This is an extremely modern message because it reminds us that education isn't about filling containers but rather creating contexts in which each child can develop their own personality and uniqueness. I think the princess also captured another very important aspect: here, in Reggio Emilia, education is never separated from relationships, care, listening, and community. Reggio's schools are beautiful, welcoming, open places, where even the spaces speak to children and where adults learn alongside the little ones. And this happens in an era unfortunately dominated by speed and technology, while this approach restores the centrality of education to the humanity.
Is there also a symbolic value to this royal trip?
"Yes. This pedagogy doesn't consider children as incomplete adults. We often see them this way, but rather as individuals full of abilities, curiosity, creativity, and rights. So yes, I believe this visit also has a very strong symbolic value. In a time marked by war, fear, and fragmentation, choosing to dedicate attention to children truly means choosing the future. And we hope it's a better future."
Specifically, what kind of dialogue would you like to open with the princess?
We would like to open a dialogue with the princess on the universal value of education as a democratic infrastructure. Today, more than ever, investing in childhood is not just an educational choice, but a social choice, a civic choice, and an economic choice, because it lays the foundation for a better economy. It's now quite clear that societies that invest in children build more cohesive, less unequal, and more resilient communities.
Already in 1991 the cover of Newsweek It included a Reggio Emilia kindergarten—the "Diana"—among the top 10 schools in the world. It was a crowning achievement for the city. How much progress has been made since then?
That cover was a pivotal moment because it revealed to the world what had been underway in Reggio Emilia for decades. It was a moment that had a disruptive impact from a communications perspective. But in reality, the most significant development is what happened next. Since that moment, 35 years ago, much has happened. Today, the Reggio Emilia Approach is studied in universities, schools, and research centers on every continent. It has become such a good practice that external bodies are studying this type of approach. Therefore, there are international networks, schools inspired by this experience, and thousands of teachers who come to Reggio to understand a vision of childhood and society, not just the approach.
You mentioned technology earlier: a topic that, especially when related to minors, is widely debated, often even divisive. So, how much further do we have to go?
"Very much so. We live in a time when educational inequalities are growing, family fragility is increasing, and the risk is that childhood will be considered a minor issue when in fact it is the place where a community's future is built. The real challenge today is to bring the educational culture of listening, participation, and creativity into the midst of today's major transformations, including AI, because technology alone will not make the world a better place. We will need children capable of thinking, imagining, collaborating, and feeling emotion."
Emotions, thoughts, and imagination, she says. It's true that between chatbots and algorithms, it's a huge challenge.
"We need to educate them in this direction, and this is perhaps the strongest message that Reggio Emilia continues to offer the entire world: educating a child means having faith in the humanity of tomorrow."
