Marco Polo prepares to celebrate the genius of Collodi and Pinocchio

Preparations are well under way at Marco Polo – The Italian School of Sydney for its annual end-of-year cultural gathering, which in 2026 will be dedicated to Carlo Collodi, marking the bicentenary of the birth of the celebrated author of The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Titled “Collodi the Genius, Pinocchio Ingenious”, the event will be held at Club Marconi in Bossley Park on Saturday, 28 November, beginning at 10am with official greetings.

The school is preparing a full day of cultural and educational activities bringing together teachers, students, families, academics, institutional representatives and members of Sydney’s Italian community.

The initiative also reflects the theme of the 2026 Week of the Italian Language in the World, “Ingenious Language: Inventing, Designing and Creating with Italian”, using Collodi’s work as a starting point to explore the expressive power of the Italian language, the educational value of literature and the enduring legacy of a story that has crossed generations, cultures and national borders.

At the heart of the programme will be presentations by two guest speakers, who will approach Collodi and Pinocchio from different but complementary perspectives.

Dr Andrea Pagani, lecturer and researcher in Italian Studies at Monash University and a specialist in Carlo Collodi, will examine the author’s work from literary, linguistic and educational perspectives.

His doctoral research focused on school literature and Italian national identity, and his academic work has explored the pedagogical, linguistic and cultural significance of Collodi’s writings.

A different interpretation will be offered by Dr Lucio Fioretti, an educator, Italian teacher and theologian by passion who has worked for many years in Sydney’s Catholic primary schools. Drawing on the writings of Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, Fioretti will explore the spiritual and theological dimensions of Pinocchio, connecting Collodi’s story with questions of faith, education and Italian culture.

The programme will also place younger generations at its centre. Alongside the main presentations, Pinocchio-themed workshops for school-aged children and young people will introduce participants to the Italian language and Collodi’s imaginative world through specially designed activities.

The afternoon will continue with workshops for teachers and the wider community, creating further opportunities to examine the literary, educational, linguistic and cultural dimensions of Collodi’s work and its continuing relevance to the teaching of Italian today.

Another important part of the day will be the presentation of the Marco Polo Awards 2026 for Excellence in Italian Language and Culture in NSW Schools. The awards recognise students and teachers who have distinguished themselves through the learning, teaching and promotion of Italian language and culture across New South Wales.

For Marco Polo, the November gathering will be more than a commemoration of Collodi’s bicentenary. It will bring together different generations around one of Italy’s most internationally recognised literary characters, connecting those who teach Italian, those who are learning it and those who continue to pass the language and culture on within families and the wider community.

The full programme and official invitation will be released in the coming weeks as preparations continue for a day that will bring Collodi and his timeless Pinocchio to the community.

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