Italian Association of Geography Teachers

The Associazione Italiana Insegnanti di Geografia (AIIG), or Italian Association of Geography Teachers, is a national non-profit cultural association founded in Padua on 22 April 1954 on the initiative of Elio Migliorini, during the XVI Italian Geographical Congress. It is dedicated to the promotion of geographic culture, the professional development of geography teachers at every school level, and the defence of geography as a school and university subject. The association is organised into regional sections present throughout Italy, further articulated into provincial, inter-provincial and city sections. It is governed by a national council elected every four years by its members, and its headquarters are located at the Geography Section of the Department of Documentary, Linguistic-Philological and Geographical Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome. Its members include geography teachers of all levels, scholars, university students, and public and private bodies and schools. AIIG's statutory aims include teacher training and updating, experimentation with innovative teaching methods and new information technologies, protection of environmental and cultural heritage, and the dissemination of geographic education. It also pursues partnerships and cooperation with local, national and European institutions, including intercultural projects and international exchanges. It is accredited and recognised by MIUR (the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research) for teacher training. Among its principal activities are the annual national conference, held in a different location each year, which features papers on geography didactics and updates on geographic themes relevant to the host region, as well as teaching workshops and seminars for primary, lower-secondary, upper-secondary and university levels, and study excursions. The association also promotes working groups, conferences, educational trips in Italy and abroad, and events in collaboration with schools. AIIG publishes the scientific journal Ambiente Società Territorio – Geografia nelle Scuole, its official organ, along with two book series, Ambiente Società Territorio (since 2005) and Tratti geografici (since 2015), and, since December 2012, the online semi-annual open-access journal J-Reading – Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography. National presidents have included Elio Migliorini (1954–1976), Aldo Sestini (1977), Giorgio Valussi (1978–1990), Peris Persi (1991–2001), Gino De Vecchis (2002–2018) and Riccardo Morri (from 2018).

The Associazione Italiana Insegnanti di Geografia (AIIG) was founded in Padua on 22 April 1954 on the initiative of Elio Migliorini, in conjunction with the XVI Italian Geographical Congress. Migliorini, a geographer, served as its first national president from 1954 until 1976, shaping the association's mission of promoting geographic education and defending the teaching of geography in Italian schools and universities. In its early decades the association consolidated its national structure, establishing regional sections across Italy that were further divided into provincial, inter-provincial and city sections. This decentralised organisation allowed AIIG to operate throughout the country and to respond to local educational needs while maintaining a national voice. Leadership passed to Aldo Sestini in 1977, then to Giorgio Valussi (1978–1990), Peris Persi (1991–2001), and Gino De Vecchis (2002–2018). Under De Vecchis the association expanded its publishing activities, launching the book series Ambiente Società Territorio in 2005 and, in December 2012, the online semi-annual open-access journal J-Reading – Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography. A second book series, Tratti geografici, was launched in 2015. Throughout its history AIIG has organised an annual national conference in a different Italian location each year, combining academic papers on geography didactics with workshops for primary, lower-secondary, upper-secondary and university teachers, as well as study excursions. The association has also promoted working groups, conferences, educational trips in Italy and abroad, and collaborative events with schools. It maintains international contacts with geography associations within the European Community and beyond, fostering exchanges of experience and knowledge. In 2018 Riccardo Morri, associate professor at the Department of Letters and Modern Cultures of Sapienza University of Rome, became national president. The association's headquarters are located at the Geography Section of the Department of Documentary, Linguistic-Philological and Geographical Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome. AIIG is accredited and recognised by MIUR (the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research) for teacher training, and it continues to publish its official journal, Ambiente Società Territorio – Geografia nelle Scuole, edited by Carlo Brusa, alongside its book series and online journal. The association remains active in advocating for geography's place in the curriculum and in promoting geographic literacy and sustainable development awareness.

• 2018

  Riccardo Morri becomes national president.

• 2015

  Launch of the book series Tratti geografici.

• 2012

  In December, AIIG begins publishing the online semi-annual journal J-Reading – Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography.

• 2005

  Launch of the book series Ambiente Società Territorio.

• 2002

  Gino De Vecchis becomes national president (2002–2018).

• 1991

  Peris Persi becomes national president (1991–2001).

• 1978

  Giorgio Valussi becomes national president (1978–1990).

• 1977

  Aldo Sestini serves as national president.

• 1976

  End of Elio Migliorini's presidency (1954–1976).

• 1954

  Founded in Padua on 22 April on the initiative of Elio Migliorini during the XVI Italian Geographical Congress.

Italy's leading national association for geography teachers, recognised by MIUR for teacher training and dedicated to geographic education and culture.

• Ambiente Società Territorio – Geografia nelle Scuole

• J-Reading – Journal of Research and Didactics in Geography

• Ambiente Società Territorio (book series)

• Tratti geografici (book series)

1. 1AIIG official websiteaiig.it
2. 2Statuto | AIIGaiig.it
3. 3Finalità | AIIGaiig.it
4. 4Regolamento | AIIGaiig.it
5. 5Associazione italiana insegnanti di geografia – Wikipediait.wikipedia.org
6. 6AIIG – Wikidatawikidata.org