Educational pathways and experiences
EDUCATION
This section presents targeted educational material and experiences designed to support teachers and students in a critical exploration of the Locarno Pact, its historical implications, and its significance within the European context. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the enduring value of peace, dialogue, and cooperation among nations. Complementing this educational offer is the possibility of hosting a traveling exhibition on the Locarno Pact, which can be set up directly within school facilities.
Peace education is not limited to an abstract concept, but is translated into concrete activities that help students and teachers reflect on the values of coexistence, solidarity and nonviolent conflict resolution. Through educational proposals and structured materials, this section aims to offer useful resources for integrating these themes into daily teaching.
Teaching paths
Preschool and elementary school
Mission Peace with Professor Pasticcio and the parrot Napoleon.
Educational activity for kindergarten and elementary school pupils on the occasion of the centenary of the Locarno Treaties.
Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
Cost: CHF 190 (IT) / CHF 220 (FR/DE/EN)
Languages: IT/FR/DE/EN
For information or reservations write to: mediazione.musei@locarno.ch.
One of the wackiest scholars in European history is about to arrive at the Castello Visconteo: Professor Pasticcio, who is always scratching his head to remember dates (and so he ends up more and more disheveled!). Keeping him in line is Napoleon, his faithful companion: a colorful, somewhat vain, and very knowledgeable parrot, who when something doesn't quite add up...croaks loudly and corrects everything!
Together, these two quirky characters will accompany children on an adventure between the exhibition dedicated to the Locarno Treaties and the rooms of the Castle. They will retell what really happened in 1925, after a terrible war, when great leaders from all over Europe came to Locarno to talk peace.
At the heart of the visit, a special question:
"If you had been the desk mate of one of the powerful people who later went to war, as a child ... what could you have said or done to help him choose peace when he grew up?"
Through games, stories, mysterious objects and funny moments, Professor Pasticcio and Napoleon will help little ones reflect in a simple but profound way on what it means to build peace, even at a young age.
Final activity: each child can write or draw their own message of peace!
OBJECTIVES:
To introduce children to history in a simple and fun way
Foster understanding of the concept of peace
Stimulate imagination and personal thinking
Encourage active participation
Promote creative expression
Enhance listening and collaboration
Image generated with the help of ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Middle school and high school
Locarno "City of Peace"
Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes
Cost: CHF 190 (IT) / CHF 220 (FR/DE/EN)
Languages: IT/FR/DE/EN
For information or reservations write to: mediazione.musei@locarno.ch.
After the scars left by World War I, the defeated nations faced onerous peace terms. However, in the following years, the doors of diplomacy opened, leading in 1925 to the historic Locarno Conference and the signing of the Rhenish Pact. Here, Germany accepted Western borders and established arbitration treaties with several European nations, marking an unprecedented period of cooperation known as the "spirit of Locarno."
What will happen.
The exhibition is not just a static display, but an engaging journey through the iconic moments of this important historical event. Children will be immersed in an educational journey that will take them among the tangible evidence of this pivotal event, tackling challenging quizzes and working together in groups. Each team will receive a dossier, providing them with the tools they need to explore and fully understand the historical and political context of Locarno.
OBJECTIVES:
To discover the historical events after World War I.
To learn about the reasons that placed Locarno within the international orbit
To learn about history in a playful and engaging way
To stimulate teamwork
GUIDED TOUR
Locarno 1925-2025. Following the footsteps of peace
Thematic guided tour for the centenary of the Locarno Treaties
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Meeting point: Palazzo del Pretorio, Via della Pace 6, 6600 Locarno
Cost: CHF 230 (IT) - CHF 240 (FR/DE/EN)
Languages: IT/FR/DE/EN
For information or reservations write to: mediazione.musei@locarno.ch.
On the occasion of the centenary of the Locarno Treaties, the Castello Visconteo offers a special guided tour that combines historical narrative and urban itinerary. A fascinating journey through the heart of the city to rediscover the places that, in October 1925, were the protagonists of one of the most significant diplomatic events of twentieth-century Europe.
The visit begins in the city center, where one of our qualified mediators will guide participants along a step-by-step itinerary that touches on the key locations of the Locarno Treaties: from Via della Pace with the Palazzo del Pretorio, where negotiations were held, to the hotels that accomodated international delegations and the world press. You will walk by the Palazzo della Sopracenerina, home of the lively "Foyer de la Presse," the Grand Hotel and the former Hotel du Parc, breathing in the atmosphere of those days filled with anticipation and hope.
The itinerary culminates with a visit to the exhibition dedicated to the Locarno Treaties set up inside the Castello Visconteo, which holds images and testimonies of those "eleven days of momentum and hope" that brought Locarno back into the international spotlight.
An opportunity to reflect on the role of diplomacy, the value of peace and European identity, starting with a chapter of history that left an indelible mark on the city's memory.
Promoting a culture of peace means providing new generations with tools for understanding, dialogue and mutual respect.
