(ANS – Rome) – A new edition of the image education project run by the Salesian Cultural Centre of the Salesians in the Central Italy Circumscription (ICC), entitled “Alice Through the Screen” (Alice attraverso lo schermo), has begun. This image education project is dedicated to nursery and primary schools and is promoted by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Merit, and coordinated by the Salesian Cultural Centre.
Children as Chief Agents in an Educational Journey
The project, taking place across Lazio, Tuscany, and Liguria, will run through May 2026 and involves more than 3,000 students between the ages of 3 and 10 from 22 school clusters. It is a journey aimed at “going beyond the screen” and exploring the world of cinema through screenings, educational activities, and workshops designed to foster emotional awareness while promoting empathy, inclusion, and creativity.
The goal is to develop children’s personal identity, sensitivity toward others, and social skills through the principles of emotional education and the mindful use of digital media. The films in the program explore themes such as inclusion, friendship, courage, self-discovery, finding one’s place in the world, collaboration, and respect for nature and the environment.
Additionally, thanks to collaboration with psychologists specializing in children’s emotional and cognitive development, new critical issues will also be addressed, such as awareness of emerging digital languages and the fight against bullying.
The Significance of the Project
“Alice Through the Screen” aims to help students become more conscious viewers and provide them with essential tools to become creators of new content themselves. Cinema is understood here not only as a tool for education and interpreting the present, but also as a means of discovery and deeper understanding.
“The ‘Alice Through the Screen’ project, in line with Don Bosco’s Preventive Educational System, aims to guide young people in experiencing the world of images and media as a space for growth, awareness, and creativity,” explained Fabio Zenadocchio, Director of the Salesian Cultural Centre. “Through education in visual perception and audiovisual language, we provide tools to develop critical thinking, responsibility, and positive engagement within digital culture.”
Venues, Stages, and Participants
Five cinemas are involved, including the Don Bosco Cinema-Theatre in Rome, the central hub of the project.
There are three phases to this second edition of “Alice Through the Screen”: screenings in theaters accompanied by opportunities for dialogue and discussion; educational sessions with experts who introduce children to visual and audiovisual storytelling; and creative workshops to develop imagination and communication skills.
This wide-ranging project is further enhancing its educational offerings this year by expanding training opportunities, increasing the number of participating schools, and including broader age groups. Among the professionals involved is animator Margherita Giusti, director of The Meatseller (2023), which won both the David di Donatello Award and the Nastro d’Argento Award in 2024 for Best Animated Short Film.
The Salesian Cultural Centre is an association operating in the field of social communication through research, experimentation, promotion, education, organization, and implementation of projects and initiatives related to culture and the arts in their many forms.