Contemporary education faces the challenge of dealing with the cultural plurality that makes up society. Speaking of "educating in diversity" doesn't just mean recognizing differences, but integrating them into the educational process from childhood, broadening horizons for the construction of a more inclusive, ethical, and democratic school culture.
Professor Clara Maria Silva, a professor at the University of Florence (Italy), brings her experience in general pedagogy, early childhood education, family pedagogy, and pedagogical coordination to her reflections on the role of education in building more just societies. For Silva, literacy and inclusion cannot be separated from culture.
According to the professor, literacy, combined with culture, is essential for children and adolescents to understand and respect multiple social and identity contexts. In this sense, she states that "schools must commit to developing individuals capable of dialoguing with differences, understanding diversity not as an obstacle, but as a constitutive part of collective life and citizenship."
The importance of this perspective is also highlighted by Clara (2017, p. 251), who emphasizes the contribution of cultural anthropology to pedagogy:
"Pedagogy draws from cultural anthropology not only theories and concepts, but also useful methods and instruments for interpreting the pluralism of differences present in society and, in particular, in spaces of collective life, such as schools. Indeed, anthropology's contribution is twofold: one theoretical-epistemological in nature, the other practical and operational, the fruit of its fieldwork experiences, from which emerges the intrinsic relationship between identity and otherness, between the self and the other."
The concept of educating in diversity, therefore, is linked to the need to prepare new generations to exercise intercultural citizenship. This implies a pedagogical project that values the uniqueness of each individual while promoting cooperation, empathy, and recognition of otherness.
"Education plays a fundamental role in engaging everyone for a more just society, creating opportunities from the earliest years of life. This requires attention to historical inequalities, the social context of students, and the appreciation of the strengths of each community. Paulo Freire already taught us the importance of linking education and hope, and this principle remains relevant on a global scale.", Clara highlighted.
Thus, Early Childhood Education cannot be reduced to a process of transmitting content, but must be constituted as a space for collective construction, in which respect for diversity is a non-negotiable formative value. As Clara (2017, p. 258) reinforces:
"Therefore, we expect an educational commitment focused on recognizing and respecting others, their diversity, or otherness, and promoting an idea of interculture, the result of collaboration between the various sciences working together toward a common goal. It's about implementing actions aimed at overcoming contradictions and ideologies, capable of embracing the absolute uniqueness and unrepeatability of each individual and creating a non-negotiable value in intersubjective and, therefore, intercultural relationships."
Thus, educating in diversity from childhood prepares new generations to understand themselves and others in a context of constant cultural transformation. More than teaching content, it's about enabling the development of skills to coexist with plurality, respect differences, and collectively build a more democratic society.
Topic was discussed by experts
Professor Clara Maria Silva, from the University of Florence (Italy), and Professor Marco Piazza, from the University of Roma Tre, were the international guests who attended the discussion group “Educating in diversity starting from childhood” – the central theme of an activity promoted by the Center for Public Policy Studies (NEPP) and the Professional Master's in School Education of the Faculty of Education of Unicamp (FE-Unicamp), with support from the Postgraduate Program in Education of FE-Unicamp.
The meeting brought together researchers from Brazil and Italy to reflect on the challenges of inclusive and equitable education in the early years of life. For the professor, literacy and inclusion cannot be separated from culture.
The teacher also emphasized the importance of international academic exchanges, which allow for the exchange of good pedagogical practices. In this regard, he mentioned the cooperation agreement between the University of Florence and Unicamp, which strengthens joint research in early childhood education and inclusion.
The event also featured Professor Marco Piazza of Roma Tre University, a philosophy specialist, who emphasized the importance of internationalization and epistemic dialogue between different academic contexts. On his first visit to Brazil, Piazza emphasized the country's complexity and the potential of interuniversity partnerships with Unicamp.
The initiative is part of the efforts of Unicamp's Faculty of Education to articulate teacher training, research and public policies, reinforcing its commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity in education.
Watch the recording of the conversation circle:
