We are delighted to share with you that Reggio Children has confirmed that Elena Maccaferri and Consuelo Damasi will be joining us online during our October Conference.

Elena and Consuelo were the keynote presenters at the 2025 Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange Conference, where they inspired participants through their exploration of collaboration, relationships, and learning. We are thrilled to welcome them to our conference programme and look forward to the valuable perspectives and dialogue they will bring to our October gathering.

Elena and Consuelo bring a wealth of knowledge and experience from the educational experience of Reggio Emilia. Elena works as a pedagogista, supporting the development of educational projects and reflective practice, while Consuelo’s role as an atelierista highlights the importance of creativity, materials, and the hundred languages of children in the learning process.

The dialogue between children and the city is a theme that has been explored in Reggio Emilia for many years and continues to be revisited in response to changing social, cultural, and environmental contexts. At its heart is a commitment to recognising children as active citizens whose ideas, questions, and perspectives enrich our understanding of the places we inhabit together.

The encounter with the city unfolded through the simple yet profound act of walking together. Consuelo described this as a “body-to-body encounter” with the children's own neighbourhood, where familiar places were rediscovered through new perspectives and possibilities. The children led the way, while the adults walked one step behind and alongside them, trusting the children's decisions, questions, and directions. This approach requires adults to relinquish control and embrace uncertainty—a challenging yet powerful stance.

Through carefully considered questions, the children's perceptions of the city were made visible. These conversations offered adults deeper insights into the elements of the city that held meaning for children and how they interpreted the world around them.

This rich and complex project revealed the many ways children perceived their city: the buildings and landmarks that shaped its identity, the relationships they formed with people and places, and the connections they made with the objects, spaces, and stories that make up urban life. Through their observations, theories, and encounters, the children demonstrated a unique understanding of the city, inviting adults to see familiar environments through new eyes.

The children went on to reimagine their city, expressing their ideas, observations, and aspirations through a collaboratively created map that made their thinking visible. This remarkable work demonstrates how children can contribute meaningfully to conversations about the places in which they live and highlights the value of listening to their perspectives as active citizens.

You can explore the map created by the children and learn more about this inspiring project on the Reggio Children website.

Our sincere thanks to Elena, Consuelo, REAIE, and Reggio Children for generously sharing this project and the learning it offers. It provides a powerful example of how children, educators, and communities can engage in dialogue to deepen their understanding of the world they inhabit together.

Maccaferri, E., & Damasi, C. (2025). The city grows like us: Children as protagonists of the city. The Challenge. Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE).

You can read more about Elena and Consuelo below.

Elena Maccaferri began working with the municipal preschools of Reggio Emilia in 2000 as an atelierista, a role focused on fostering children’s creative and expressive learning processes. In 2007, she became a pedagogista within the Pedagogical Coordinating Team of the Istituzione of Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, where she contributes to the coordination and development of educational programs across centres. She also collaborates with Reggio Children on publishing projects and professional learning initiatives, taking part in seminars and workshops both in Italy and internationally.

Consuelo graduated in 1991 with a Diploma of Baccalaureate in Applied Art from the State Art Institute G. Chierici of Reggio Emilia. In 1997, she obtained her Diploma di Alta Cultura from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna (School of Painting).

Consuelo has worked as an Atelierista for the Istituzione of Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia since 1999, currently working at Anderson Municipal Preschool in Reggio Emilia.

She has collaborated with other pedagogistas, educators, and atelieristas in the design, implementation, and management of the Citizen Ateliers at the International Centre Loris Malaguzzi and has also contributed to training courses in the language of photography for teachers in various parts of Italy.