Also attending the closing day was Marco Marsilio, President of the Abruzzo Region, who stressed that “in Abruzzo, through this event, we have demonstrated what it means to invest in schools and in the future of young people, even in the face of the tensions our country is experiencing in these days.”

“This is an event of great scientific value,” added Roberto Santangelo, Councillor for Education of the Abruzzo Region. “For Abruzzo, this is a major achievement because the expectations leading up to the event—that we had succeeded in attracting an event of national importance—have been amply met, with truly significant attendance figures. The results confirm that Abruzzo has responded exceptionally well, allowing us to plan for the possibility of hosting events of similar importance in the future. This comes in a year in which the Region has placed education policy at the heart of its political agenda, introducing a series of innovative measures that have had an impact on teaching and training activities for both students and teachers.”

The Lancianofiera exhibition centre, with its 15,000 square metres spread across six pavilions, provided the setting for 964 events.

Of these, 94 were training events included in the scientific programme developed by INDIRE, the event’s scientific partner. The Institute contributed its expertise, research experience and training initiatives designed to address the ongoing transformation of the education system. The sessions organised by INDIRE attracted a large audience, with more than 62% of events fully booked and an occupancy rate of 87%.

“INDIRE, the event’s scientific partner, contributed to the programme by providing expertise, research experience and training initiatives designed to address the transformation of the education system,” commented Francesco Manfredi, President of INDIRE. “The sessions organised by the Institute attracted strong participation from teachers and addressed a wide range of topics, from inclusion and well-being to social and emotional skills, career guidance, the 4+2 education pathway, ITS Academies and Small Schools. Particular attention was devoted to artificial intelligence, which featured in more than one-third of the sessions in INDIRE’s scientific programme.

“During the event, the findings of a new survey on the use of artificial intelligence in schools were also presented. The study was conducted by INDIRE researchers in collaboration with La Tecnica della Scuola, involving a sample of 2,105 teachers. The data show an increase in teachers’ use of AI, from 57.4% to 69%, alongside greater caution regarding its effects on learning processes and its use by students.

“The survey confirms the importance of investing in the continuous professional development of school staff, enabling teachers to acquire the skills needed to integrate artificial intelligence into teaching in a conscious and responsible manner and to guide students in developing a critical and informed approach to digital citizenship.”

Alongside the scientific programme, the event also attracted significant participation on the exhibition side, with 870 events organised by leading companies and organisations in technology, publishing, school furniture and other sectors. They were joined by key local and regional institutions, including the Abruzzo Region; the Regional School Offices of Abruzzo, Molise, Marche and Puglia; universities; ITS Academies; and FISM, the Italian Federation of Nursery Schools.

This wide-ranging offering complemented the training and professional development opportunities, encouraging interaction between teachers, industry professionals and businesses.

Sponsors of Didacta Italia – Abruzzo Edition also expressed positive views on the event, highlighting the excellent public response and the interest generated by the solutions and initiatives aimed at the education sector.

“Our participation in Didacta Italia – Abruzzo Edition has a dual purpose: on the one hand, it provides an important opportunity to celebrate our seventy years of activity; on the other, it allows us to reaffirm our strong ties with Abruzzo, the region where we were founded and have grown. We are proud that an event of national importance such as Didacta Italia is being held in our region and that we can contribute, through our participation, to showcasing and promoting the region’s excellence,” said Emidio Salvatorelli, CEO of Vastarredo.

Christian Fanizzi, CEO of Wacebo, also expressed his satisfaction: “This year, we have made an important change, moving from a predominantly exhibition-based trade fair to an event with a stronger focus on training. We have significantly increased the number of stands and workshops, and the public response has been excellent, with high attendance. We have been loyal supporters of this trade fair for many years and are very pleased with this edition. We will meet again next year in Florence.”

Consuelo Benvenuti, Head of Business Units & Procurement at C2 Group, also highlighted the event’s positive reception and the interest shown by teachers in innovative solutions for schools:

“This is an important edition taking place in a developing region in which we believe and where we are committed to strengthening our presence in Central and Southern Italy. Attendance has been excellent, and we are pleased with both the participation and the curiosity teachers have shown towards innovative products designed for schools.”

The next edition of Didacta Italia will take place from 10 to 12 March 2027 at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.