The training day explores the transformative potential of photography as a tool for analysis, research, and knowledge, while emphasizing the importance of visual literacy in classroom teaching—both as an enhancement of other school subjects and as a key component in the cognitive and emotional development of students.

Image and word, though belonging to apparently distinct communicative realms, are profoundly and complementarily intertwined. When these two languages enter into dialogue, they enrich one another, giving rise to a form of communication that is deeper, more articulate, and more incisive.

In today’s media-saturated environment, where the dominance of the image often seems to overshadow the written word, studying their dialogue becomes crucial in light of the unprecedented possibilities of manipulation offered by digital technology.
Within the society of the image, visual literacy is essential for cultivating critical awareness, civic engagement, and self-discovery.

PROGRAMME

VI TEACHER TRAINING COURSE

9:30 a.m. – Registration of participants

Opening remarks

• Gabriella Fumagalli, Councillor for Educational Policies, Education, Training and Labour, Municipality of Cinisello Balsamo

• Davide Rondoni, President, National Museum of Photography

• Diletta Zannelli, Head of Education Department, National Museum of Photography

Panel 1 | 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Speakers

Roberto Diodato
Philosopher, Professor of Aesthetics at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, where he also teaches Philosophy of Aesthetic Experience and Aesthetic Education in Childhood and Adolescence. He directs the university’s Research Centre for Education through Art and Cultural Heritage Mediation (CREA) and has been Visiting Professor of Aesthetics at the Faculty of Theology, Lugano, since 2002. His work focuses on the relationship between aesthetics and ontology in modern and contemporary thought, and more recently on the intersections between artistic practices and new technologies.

Mauro Zanchi
Art critic, curator, and essayist. Since 2011 he has directed BACO – Base Arte Contemporanea Odierna, Bergamo. He teaches history of photography and art at LABA Academy of Fine Arts, Brescia, and the Centro Bauer, Milan, and semiotics of art at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), Turin. He coordinates the photography programme at LABA Brescia. Among his recent publications: Luigi Ghirri. Pensiero paesaggio (Silvana Editoriale, 2016), Mario Giacomelli. Terre scritte (Silvana Editoriale, 2017), Nino Migliori. Gente del Delta 1953 (Humboldt Books, 2020), Metafotografia 1+2+3 (Skinnerboox, 2019–2021).

Riccardo Pedicone
Born in Pordenone, based in Milan, he works as a radio and podcast author and serves as president of the cultural association NOCE. His debut book L’inesatto attimo in cui siamo morti (2021) is a collection of short stories. His most recent work, E sembra quasi vero. Storie, invenzioni e fantasticherie sui libri che ho comprato con i miei ultimi risparmi(Rizzoli, 2025), continues his exploration of literature as a medium for dialogue and expression.

Massimo Bustreo
Humanist, university lecturer, trainer, and consultant in work and organizational psychology, professional coach, and pianist by passion. He teaches psychology and communication at IULM University, Milan, where he also coordinates workshops in group coaching and debate techniques. Creator of the project Neuromagia (neuromagia.it), he combines theatrical art, illusionism, and science communication to explore human behaviour. Author of several books, including Public Speaking. Culture e pratiche per una comunicazione efficace (with Marta Muscariello, Dino Audino, 2022), Coaching per il futuro (with Christian Colautti, Audible, 2023), and La terza faccia della moneta (FrancoAngeli, 2018).

Rosa Cinelli
PhD in co-tutelle between the University of Milan and the Université Côte d’Azur (Nice). Her research focuses on the intersections between digital photography and immersive and extended media, with a specific interest in aesthetics, image theory, visual culture, post-photography, and media archaeology.

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch break

Panel 2 | 2:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Speakers

Paolo Ventura
Born in Milan in 1968, he studied at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts before turning to photography. After a decade working in fashion and design photography, he moved to New York, where he began constructing dioramas inspired by stories from his grandmother about World War II. His 2006 project War Souvenir gained international acclaim, leading to numerous exhibitions worldwide. His works are held in major public and private collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MAXXI, Rome, and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris.

Valentina Vannicola
Born in Rome in 1982. After earning a degree in Film Studies at La Sapienza University, she graduated in Photography from the Scuola Romana di Fotografia. Her work belongs to the field of staged photography, where cinematic dynamics are used to construct real-looking scenes. Her work has been shown in numerous institutions and festivals, including MAXXI, Rome; MAAT, Lisbon; Centro Cultural de Justiça Federal, Rio de Janeiro; Msheireb Museums, Doha; and MACRO, Rome.

Paola Bellani
Design consultant and curator exploring the relationship between image and design culture. Trained as an architect, she has worked internationally across Europe, Asia, and Latin America in brand communication, art direction, and exhibition design. She teaches Brand Strategy and Image Culture at NABA, Milan, and co-founded the journal disegno. la nuova cultura industriale, dedicated to critical reflections on contemporary design and its representation.

Carla Saracino
Born in Maruggio (Taranto), she lives in Milan. Since 2018, she has directed the section on contemporary literature for the digital art magazine Monolith. Her poetry and critical writings have appeared in several anthologies and journals, including L’Almanacco dello Specchio Mondadori, Nuovi Argomenti, and L’Immaginazione. Her poetry collections include I milioni di luoghi (LietoColle, 2007), La sposa barocca (2010), Il chiarore (LietoColle, 2013), and Quest’ora dell’estate (L’Arcolaio, 2022). She teaches Italian language and literature at the secondary school level.

INFORMATION

The seminar is organized in collaboration with the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lombardy, an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education and Merit (MiM), and made possible through the support of the Directorate-General for Education, Research and Cultural Institutions of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Participation is free of charge.
Registration is required: 📩 servizioeducativo@munaf.it

A certificate of attendance valid for professional development purposes will be issued to all participants.

The roundtable is conceived and promoted by the National Museum of Photography.