Wishes for Children

In 2021 Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) turned 21.

A 21st birthday is a time of contemplation and reflection. It is a time to look back, a time to look forward and dream.

Loris Malaguzzi strongly and strenuously advocated for children and childhood and acknowledged that “talking about childhood is something increasingly more difficult and complex” (Hoyeulos, 2013, p.65). REAIE’s vision is to research for a culture of childhood that defends and promotes the rights of all children. To honour this vision, we want to keep talking about children and childhood within our committee, with our members, with people who aren’t our members, and with politicians and decision-makers about our utopian wishes for children. We want to fulfil the organisation’s purpose of Reimagining children’s education for a just society. REAIE decided in 2021 to invite members and collaborators to contribute to a publication to share these utopian wishes.

We are excited to announce the launch of the REAIE Wishes for Children publication. All proceeds from the purchase of this book until December 2023 will be donated to Children’s Ground, a First Nation’s organisation led by First Nation’s communities in Australia.

There are 40 contributions to this publication, including a foreword by Claudia Giudici and Jan Millikan and a contribution from Balducci Preschool in Reggio Emilia. (Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange is an honourary member of the City Childhood Council of Balducci, which is a Preschool in the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy.) Additionally, there is a contribution from Tiziana Filippini, a treasured colleague and Pedagogista of the Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres and a Collaborator of Reggio Children.

We know that this publication will become a sought-after publication as a keepsake, gift or advocacy tool for children’s rights. This publication will appeal to individuals, groups and organisations.