The 2026 edition of “The Mathematics of Young People” is currently taking place at IC Roli in Trieste, a long-standing educational initiative promoted by the University of Trieste through CIRD – the Interdepartmental Center for Educational Research.

Founded in 1996, the project engages students aged 5 to 18 in an active, cooperative learning experience based on peer interaction. The students themselves take center stage, explaining mathematical concepts to their peers through workshops, hands-on activities, and interdisciplinary pathways, helping to make the subject more accessible, concrete, and engaging.

Over the course of the two days, classes from kindergarten, primary, and secondary schools lead 12 mathematics-focused workshops, some of which include interdisciplinary content. The activities, repeated every 30 minutes and accessible at different school levels, offer participants the opportunity to directly experience concepts and tools, ranging from dynamic geometry to connections between mathematics and the humanities.

Preparing the event required months of work by both students and teachers, involving a total of around 250 participants from the provinces of Trieste and Pordenone. The effort was supported by school teachers and university lecturers, with particular attention to educational and communication aspects. Bookings for workshop visits came from schools of all levels in Trieste, Udine, and Piran (Slovenia), with a total of approximately 750 visitors over the two days.

The event, which has no competitive purpose, aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and to highlight mathematics as a universal language and a tool for collaboration. It represents an educational model that fosters the development of transversal skills and stimulates interest in STEM disciplines.

The project is coordinated by Professor Valentina Beorchia as part of the activities of CIRD and the National Plan for Scientific Degrees – Mathematics Project, with the support of the CRTrieste Foundation.