[published May 5, 2005]
Time to Play is an international event about the theme of playing, from the culture of fun to playbuses. It will take place in Turin from 1st to 5th November 2005.
The city of Turin has a long tradition in happenings and services for young generations.
The choice of Turin as the centre of this international appointment finds its origins in the important acknowledgement made by the Ministry of the Environment of being a “Sustainable City for young boys and girls”. It was considered as a symbol of commitment, enthusiasm and attention consolidated in more than 30 years of work, together with experimentation and social policies for childhood and adolescence.
In the latest years, these educational policies gave birth to new realities in the Private Social field, developing, together with Public Bodies, projects and excellent enterprises and standing out both in the national and international scene.
The city of Turin, promoter of the International Association of the Educational Cities (AICE), is, at present, part of the executive committee.
In order to be members of AICE, cities have to be registered in the Chart of the educational cities. Thus binding administrations to promote “ the citizens’ participation in the common project, starting from institutions, involving other forms of organization of the so called civil society as well as a spontaneous participation”.
Being member of such Chart, means for the City of Turin that education is acknowledged not only as the organisation of educational services, but also as a combination of occasions aimed at obtaining the ordinary ethical, cultural and social growth of every citizen.
Nationally, the need to compare playing activity issues, spurred some cities, and among them Turin, to the creation- in 2002 – of GioNa (Association of cities to play) and the city of Turin accepted the Chairmanship for the two year second mandate. The “Manifesto of cities to play” stands as the evidence of the necessity of experiences in field of playing, not only for children but also for all citizens of any age in order to highlight that the time for playing is the gauge of a good quality of life.
Time TO Play will be a chance of comparison between the historical and consolidated experience of Italian playing centres, together with European playbuses, both being started in the 70s. Time TO Play will welcome the 34th International Convention of Playbuses and the 8th National meeting of playbuses and playing centres.