From 28th February to 2nd March 2022, the training activities planned in the project READ-COM -Reading Communities from paper-book to digital era - ERASMUS+ KA2, Strategic Partnerships for the Development of Innovation, within EDUCATION, were held in Florence. Centro Machiavelli, the host organization of this work package, organized a three-day tour of study visits.
In the first day, after the welcoming speeches by Managing Director of Centro Machiavelli, Mr. Mario Paiano and by Ms. Giulia Moretti, Project Manager, the first study visit was made at the Istituto degli Innocenti. There, Ms. Anna Maria Maccelli and Mr. Michelle Mannelli, introduced the Biblioteca degli Innocenti’s history and services. They also presented “Leggere Forte”, a project which aims to promote reading since early childhood, supported by Tuscany Region. Part of the first day study visit’s program was also the guided visit at the Istituto degli Innocenti Museum, enriched by the visit to the special LEGO exhibition.
Then, in the afternoon the activities continued with a Seminar at “Gianburrasca” Toy Library of Florence Municipality, managed by CEPISS, where Ms. Sara Buttacavoli and Ms. Carlotta Tassini made a summary description of their activities, focused on the reading awareness for their users (both children and their families). A very interesting aspect of this Toy Library is that it is located in a multiethnic area of the Florence historical city center, where are often organized animation and reading activities for facilitating the interaction and the integration of people coming from different areas of the world.
In the second day, as planned, it was organized a study visit in Terranuova Bracciolini and in Arezzo. The group visited the Istituto Comprensivo “Giovanni XXIII” a School District of Terranuova Bracciolini and partner of the READ-COM project. There, Mr. Luca Decembri, the School Director, Mr. Sergio Chienni, Mayor of Terranuova Bracciolini Municipality; Mr. Roberto Curtolo, Executive Director of USP Office, County Education District VI – Arezzo, made some greeting speeches and presented the school in terms of “Leggere Forte” project: education levels, library, and actions to promote reading since the childhood.
Then, all the partners had the opportunity to visit the whole Institute having a confrontation with their colleagues and having the opportunity to visit the buildings and all the equipment’s and spaces, both indoor and outdoor.
The third and the last day was dedicated for a study visit at “Associazione Giardino dell’Ardiglione -Nidiaci”, a garden for children of any age (including children, parents, tutors, etc.) managed by Valentina Casadei and Miguel Gutierrez Ball. In this place children, parents, grand-parents, tutors, can meet each other and can promote animation activities, including outdoor reading activities, especially from spring to late in autumn.
Those visits helped participants to raise their knowledge about the different organized models of supporting childhood reading by using also open spaces.
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