Italian President Highlights the Role of Education

Published on January 24, 2026 | Translated from Spanish
The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, speaking at a podium during an official event, highlighting the importance of education.

Italian President Highlights the Role of Education

On the occasion of International Education Day, Italy's leader, Sergio Mattarella, shared a speech. In it, he presents the act of educating as a vital force that gives individuals the capacity to think, act, and live autonomously. He qualifies it as a fundamental human right and a collective good that allows weaving more united communities and seeking concord. 🎓

The Foundation for a Free and Peaceful Society

Mattarella emphasizes that the process of learning does not only involve transferring data, but essentially frees. By acquiring knowledge, people obtain the tools to analyze critically and decide for themselves. The president connects this individual freedom directly with social well-being, arguing that an educated population is the pillar for creating more resilient and united communities. Additionally, he identifies this process as a crucial mechanism for fostering understanding and dialogue, elements he sees as indispensable for achieving lasting peace.

Key Points of Education According to Mattarella:
  • Provides the tools to think autonomously and critically.
  • Constitutes the foundation for developing more cohesive and strong societies.
  • Activates mutual understanding and dialogue, pillars for sustainable peace.
Educating is an essential force that makes people free to think, act, and live.

A Fundamental Right Under Threat

The message does not ignore the obstacles present in the global scenario. Mattarella observes that the global landscape, marked by deep inequalities and multiple conflicts, prevents this right from being a reality for everyone. He underscores that these barriers restrict equitable access to knowledge and, consequently, limit opportunities for each individual to grow and reach their potential. By highlighting this point, his intervention transcends commemoration to become a call to ensure that the possibility of learning is within reach of every person.

Main Threats Identified:
  • Global economic and social inequalities that segment access.
  • Armed conflicts and tensions that destroy infrastructure and opportunities.
  • The lack of equitable access to knowledge hinders personal and collective development.

The Importance of Knowledge in a Complex World

In the face of the idea that knowing can complicate, Mattarella argues that the alternative—ignorance—is a much more problematic path. His message reaffirms the intrinsic value of educating as the way to empower people and, by extension, to strengthen the foundations of coexistence and international peace. The speech concludes as an urgent reminder of the pending challenges and the collective need to act. 🌍