Reggio Children

Na jarenlang ‘Point of Reference’ te zijn geweest van Reggio Children in Nederland, is Pedagogiek 0-7 sinds de oprichting in 2010 lid van het Reggio Children International Network. Dit netwerk met leden uit de hele wereld komt jaarlijks bijeen om uit te wisselen over de nieuwste ontwikkelingen in Reggio Emilia en de rest van de wereld op het gebied van Early Childhood Education and Care.

In juli 2010 ondertekende directeur Margot Meeuwig de ‘Network Agreement’ waarin de rechten en plichten van de netwerk leden staan beschreven. Deze verklaring opent met onderstaande tekst:

Reggio Children has an identity born of interacting and building relationship at a local, national and international level in order to promote and defend the rights of children. All this has been part of its mission statement since Reggio Children establishment in year 1994: “Reggio Children International Centre for the Defense and Promotion of the rights of all children”.

The concept of creating a Reggio Children International Network has been evolving over many years through both formal and informal encounters among those who desired to be part of it and for the promotion of quality in education of children across many countries of the world that showed interest in the Reggio Approach. Foremost among these encounters have been travelling exhibitions of the Infant toddler centers and preschools – Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia from Reggio Emilia across the world, International Study Groups to Reggio Emilia, Consultancies, Research Projects, Conferences, Seminare, Workshops and most recently the development and opening of the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre. Although not providing a model, the spread out of what it is called the Reggio Emilia Approach and the interconnectedness of its educational project is now known and recognized worldwide. The Reggio Children International Network represents the various reference points of Reggio Children in many Countries of the world. The International Network is founded on democracy, experiences, exchange, reciprocity, research project, study and professional growth for communities and countries who wish to engage in the responsibility of participation and dialogue on quality in education. It can be described as a transnational project of the Reggio Emilia educational community, providing International dialogue and shared responsibility with the aim to support the identity and work of the Malaguzzi International Centre and Reggio Children.

Every country is unique with its own identity, and therefore represents different realities. The International Network has the responsibility to offer the opportunity of drawing on each other’s theory and practice richness, with the Reggio Emilia Approach (educational project of the infant toddler centers and preschools, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia) remaining central to the identity of the Reggio Children International Network.

An interdependence is created both by sustaining, valuing Reggio Emilia, July 9, 2010 and increasing our own understanding, as well as sharing the heritage of knowledge and culture experienced through the philosophy and research projects while defending the quality of the experience.

Reggio Children asks Reggio Children International Network representatives to subscribe a “Certificate of participation in the Reggio Children International Network – year 2010 – 2011”.

The “Certificate of participation” relates to specific values concerning the rights of children both in, to, and beyond early childhood education, where it creates a sense of belonging and enriches learning and living environments that can give visibility to these values.