THE WORLD OF EDUCATION FROM A TO Z

2009 SUCCESS The most significant result consisted in the remarkable leap forward made at an institutional level, confirming the degree of prestige achieved by the show over the years. Besides the MIUR (Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research), historical partner of the event, exhibitors included the  European Union, MIBAC (Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities) and the MIPAAF (Italian Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies), the latter focusing especially on the promotion of healthy eating in schools. Moreover, the 2009 show was also sponsored by the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers and was organised in partnership with ENIT (Italian Tourist Board).
On  an  exhibition   and  conference  level,  ABCD  confirmed once again its excellent standard, with a comprehensive offer ranging from training to innovative technologies, from guidance to educational trips, from pre-school education to disability.
Testimony to the above were the 130 exhibitors, as well as the over 42,000 visitors who crowded the stands over the three days, including thirty-four thousand students, six thousand teachers and two thousand parents, plus over 100 events, including conferences, seminars, round tables and technical workshops.
The star of the show was the MIUR’s stand, dedicated to educational technologies. Interactive whiteboards were certainly ABCD’s leitmotiv: the international conference promoted by the MIUR’s Department for the Programming and Management of Human, Financial and Instrumental Resources recorded an extremely high teacher attendance.
Remarkable success was also achieved by the MIBAC, which has already confirmed its presence at ABCD 2010, with an exhibition area four times as big. Great interest, especially from young people, was recorded by the initiative “Il MIBAC incontra la scuola” (The MIBAC Meets the School), presenting an overview of the educational and training activities offered by the Ministry in the museum, archaeology, theatre and monument-related fields.
The sector of educational trips, with the 13th Borsa del Turismo Scolastico e Studentesco (School and Student Tourism Exchange), confirmed its status as one ABCD’s most vital parts, with an array of interesting proposals presented by regional councils, provincial councils, municipal councils, theme parks and specialist tour operators, all aimed at promoting Italy’s cultural, historical and artistic heritage.

THE 2010 SHOW: UNDER THE BANNER OF INNOVATION AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE Under the stimulus of the initiatives promoted by the MIUR (Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research) for the promotion of innovation, ABCD 2010 will witness a return to its “technological” origins. The event, as in the years of the TED (educational technologies) show, aims to be an exhibition and conference forum for communication events relating to interactive whiteboard projects, the Classi 2.0 (Forms 2.0) project, and the various protocols activated by the MIUR, together with the Office of the President of the Council of Ministers, the regional councils and the business sector.
Representing one of the novelties in this field, a possible cooperation with London exhibition BETT is currently being looked into, with the purpose of creating a cultural interchange between the two events: the next ABCD could include an international focus event on the British educational system, with previews from the most important European showcase for digital education.

THE 14th BTS Once again, the show will be Italy's leading meeting place for all those schools and young people who consider travelling as the ideal tool to increase one’s knowledge. The 2010 event will be characterised by a European focus and the organisers are currently talking to a number of European institutions and tour operators, with a view to increasing the foreign demand interested in promoting Italy - in their respective countries - as a school and young people tourist destination. Moreover, institutions, businesses, young people mobility agencies and tour operators across Europe are invited to promote study and stay options (cultural exchanges) in the various EU countries.

ABCD OPENS TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS The novelties marking ABCD 2010 will include the opening towards recognised independent schools. Meetings are currently being held with the most representative secular and catholic organisations in Italy, with the goal of organising events and opportunities for interaction designed to draw attention to the issues and requirements of a sector which provides a fundamental contribution to the Italian educational system.

HEALTHY EATING, ENVIRONMENT AND… ABCD 2010’s objective is also that of offering an ideal venue for the promotion of educational campaigns on topics of contemporary relevance, such as healthy eating, environmental care, traffic education, safe driving, the fight against alcohol and drugs, contraception. Possible events are currently being looked into, to be organised in cooperation with the MIPAAF (Italian Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies) - which also took part in ABCD 2009 with a number of initiatives on healthy eating -, as well as with the Italian Ministries for Health and for Young People. Special care will be devoted to the promotion of healthy eating habits, with initiatives that will take to Genoa experts from the paediatric and nutritional worlds. ABCD will be an important showcase also for those businesses that wish to raise young people's awareness on these topics, informing them of the campaigns currently being run in Italy.

SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY AND CAREER ADVICE In line with tradition, ABCD 2010 will take place at the same time as ORIENTAMENTI (GUIDANCE), organised jointly by the Liguria Regional Council, the Genoa Provincial Council and the University of Genoa. The event has been largely renewed, with a strong opening towards the world of work, thanks also to the contribution of non-local organisations.