The UKsent the third largest delegation to the conference in Reggio Emilia, after the United States and Italy.
Bronwen Cohen, chief executive of the research group Children in Scotland, said, 'We have a lot to learn from this small Italian city, which has built up and supports an enviable network of services for young children in which the young child is seen as a citizen with rights and an active contributor to the cultural life of the community.'
The conference was dedicated to Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the early educational services in Reggio Emilia. The approach is based on a concept of young children as active learners who are able to develop their own theories, developing through reciprocal relationships with educators and other children.
It has no predetermined curriculum; projects grow from children's experience and are documented through notes, drawings, photographs and video.
To complement the conference, the latest edition of Children in Europe, a magazine distributed in eight European countries, is dedicated to Reggio's 40th anniversary. It brings together articles from various people involved in the work of Reggio Emilia as well as distinguished academics and practitioners from other countries.
Peter Moss, editor of Children in Europe, and a speaker at the conference, said, 'That this small Italian city has achieved global recognition speaks of the importance of its 40 years of work with young children. As the famous American psychologist Howard Gardner said, "The early childhood centres in Reggio Emilia stand as a shining testament to human possibilities".'
Next month will see the start of a UKtour of the exhibition 'The Hundred Languages of Children' organised by Sightlines Initiative, a partner of Reggio Children based in Newcastle upon Tyne. The exhibition, based on the work at Reggio Emilia, will visit five different locations.
* Look out for the feature in Nursery World in April to coincide with the tour of the exhibition.
